Only if you love me
by Arithwen Greenleaf
Summary: It's a story about a woman who finds herself in Mirkwood and is obliged to stay there by Thranduil but what are his intentions? Err doesen't exactly revolve around Legolas but Thranduil. Please read it though! *Co-authored with Elithien Silverfrost*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer~ We don't own anything in here except for a few people so please do not sue.  
  
Hey people! This is a story that is co-written by me, Tolkien Fanatic and Elithien Silverfrost (Author of Morwen and Upon a star), who is writing most of this.  
  
Ok now this story actually isn't based totally around Legolas. It's actually a Thranduil fic but please read it. It had a lot and I mean A LOT of Thranduil so just replace his face with Legolas's. You know what they say, like father like son. ^_^  
  
And by the way it's set before the time of Frodo Baggins.  
  
Ok you can start reading now! And please review!!  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
I looked around me everywhere trying to find some sense of direction. I was lost in this unknown land without a clue as to where I was headed or how far away I was to the closest empire.  
  
How I ended up in this place I still do not understand. I remember clearly that I was supposed to head north along the Anduin until I got to the pass in the misty Mountains and from there make my way to Rivendell but the detour that my fellow companions had sorted had gone incredibly wrong.  
  
I am now stuck in this forest with no food, no weapons, no companion and absolutely no sense of direction. I can only imagine how dirty I look.  
  
It has been days since I have been wondering around in this wood searching for Kellin but I am still yet to find him. I was supposed to stay up in the trees until he found out where we were but after a few week of waiting I grew restless and I knew I had to search for him.  
  
I think that there may be some chance that I am in Mirkwood. After all there are no other woods in this area besides Lothlorien, from which I came from. I greatly hope not though. I have heard tales of the evil that dwells in these woods. Not only does the soul of the evil dark lord Sauron lie amidst these trees but other beings also linger amongst here, creatures unknown and also a certain race of elf.  
  
Even though I myself am an elf I fear them. They do not associate with others outside of their realms. Us in Lothlorien do the same but we still keep our relations with Rivendell.  
  
I stop walking as I hear a sudden crack of a branch some where behind me. My heart beat starts to speed up. Could it possible Kellin?  
  
I look behind me trying to define a shape amongst the dark shadows create by the ghostly trees that grow twisted together. The only light that is provided for my keen elven sight is that of the stars and moon. Even with my elven eyes I cannot see what was that made the noise.  
  
Choosing to ignore it I continue to walk through the forest unknowingly but again I hear a noise behind me.  
  
" Kellin?" I ask into the darkness unsurely.  
  
The sound of whispering reaches my ears. I know straight away that it isn't Kellin. If it were him he would have shown himself.  
  
The whispering continues. It does not sound humane but barbarian.  
  
A sudden fear begins to dawn on me. What is it is one of Sauron's foul creatures?  
  
At once I turn around and begin to walk but the whispering seems to be following me. My paces become faster but the whispering continues.  
  
With a yelp of fear and anxiety I begin to run unknowingly further into the dark forest. I turn my head behind me and scream when I see a giant spider, at least the size of one of these deformed trees, pursuing me.  
  
" Kellin!! Help me!!" I scream frantically bounding over fallen logs.  
  
The spider is now hissing things unknown to my knowledge as it chases after me, gaining space easily. I hear more hissing and whispering and scream again in horror when I see at least a dozen more spiders crawling down the trees and coming up towards me.  
  
Most probably no other soul dares to walk unarmed in these parts of the woods. I must look like freshly cut meat to these horrid creatures.  
  
I continue to run as fast as my sore tired legs can take me occasionally stumbling over branches. I run unknowingly, my fear taking the best of me.  
  
' Oh please Valar. Please do not let me rot in these creatures body.' I prayed in my mind.  
  
" Kellin!" I shout again. I know that he cannot hear me but I cannot help myself. He has always been there for me in my times of need. Always.  
  
Tears begin to fill my almond shaped eyes as one of the spider's legs lash out from behind me and cut a narrow slit in my arm.  
  
Holding my wounded arm I run, now not only deprived of sense but also of sight as the water trickled down my cheeks.  
  
I trip over an escalated tree root and land hardly on my knees with a scream. I turn around and my fear is increased as I see the giant spider towering over me. I felt like I was stuck in some morbid nightmare knowing exactly what my fate would be.  
  
I curl myself in a withering crying ball as I hear the spiders hissing and whispering.  
  
" Please!" I cry closing my eyes and covering my head with my arms.  
  
Suddenly the sound of an arrow cutting through the air and is then followed by the ear splitting shriek of the spider. I opened my eyes and looked at the spider to find five arrows protruding from its body. The other spiders were going crazy hissing and jerking as more arrows sprang forwards at them.  
  
My heart leaped as I looked behind me to see if it was in fact Kellin who had saved my but I saw no body amidst the darkness.  
  
Taking this opportunity to get to safety I stand up and run again towards a tree and climb its branches until I am completely hidden by its lush green foliage.  
  
Breathing deeply with my heart thumping I watch as more of the spiders fall either dead or screaming injured to the ground as arrows continue to come flying out of no where.  
  
After minutes watching the gruesome scene in front of me I realise that all of the spiders were gone most of the dead while others fled.  
  
" *Ettul*" demanded a male voice from down below.  
  
I leant out further onto the branch to see who was speaking. If he looked safe enough I would show myself, if not I would continue to hide.  
  
Amidst the darkness of the trees I could barely make out a few shadowy silhouettes in the distance. The figures moved closely and my lips parted in shock when I saw approximately twelve elves all dressed in forest greens and browns for camouflage. They all had wither silver or gold hair, just as mine but what amazed me the most was that their attire blended in so well with the surrounding they were barely distinguishable.  
  
" Reveal yourself stranger!" one of them shouted again this time on the common tongue.  
  
I crawled quietly along the branch trying to get a better view of these strange elves. The branch I was stabled on cracked from my weight and broke and I fell along with the branch screaming until I hit the earth.  
  
I couldn't move because the weight of the branch was over me. I could hear the elves shouting things at one another.  
  
The men lifted the branch of my and I turn around on my back only to find one of the elves standing over me with him arrow at me, ready to shoot.  
  
" Please don't!" I screamed waving my arms frantically in front of me trying to shield me.  
  
" *N'ndengin he*" One of them shouted pushing the man who was threatening me away.  
  
" Please I mean you no-" I started but was interrupted.  
  
" *Dina edainme*" he growled.  
  
I looked up fearfully at the elves who were now circled around me. What were they going to do with me?  
  
" *Sana he*" he shouted at one of the others.  
  
A man stepped out from the circle and picked me off the ground tying my hands behind my back.  
  
As he did this the elf who was leading the others came up in front of me and looked me up and down. He pushed some of my dirty blonde hair behind my ear, checking to see if they were pointed.  
  
" What are you going to do with me?" I asked him looking at him helplessly with my dark green eyes.  
  
" What is your name?" he asked ignoring my question but this time his tone was not so harsh as before.  
  
" Where are you taking me?" I asked.  
  
He glared at me before nodding at someone from behind me.  
  
I screamed as someone from behind me put his arms around me pulling me towards him.  
  
" Be quiet!" he shouted holding a knife to my throat.  
  
Another hand came with a cloth and he covered my nose and mouth with it. I tried struggling but it was no use because the person who held me was much more stronger and there was no point in yelling because there were no other people around. Even when I dug my heel into his foot all I he did was yelp in pain but he did not release me.  
  
I breathed into the cloth and a sudden wave of dizziness wafted over my head. My eyelids were heavy and I all I could breathe were the fumes from the cloth that eroded my mind. I felt numb all over my body and I could not see properly or stand up straight falling into the arms of whomever it was who held me.  
  
The last thing that I saw was the face of the elf who had spoken to me before my eyes closed shut swallowing me into complete darkness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I groaned as I opened my eyes. Everything seemed to be spinning around me in blurs of black. I grabbed a hold of something cold and hard trying to steady myself.  
  
The spinning stopped and I regained proper vision but what I saw shocked me completely that I was not sure whether I what I was seeing was real or if my eyes were deceiving me.  
  
Around me were dark tared walls with chains on the walls. There was one torch that was lit by fire and the shadows that it inflicted upon the walls only gave the dark room an even more ominous look.  
  
It took me a few minutes of thinking before I realised that I was in a dungeon. It was certainly dark and cold enough to be one. I tried to stand up but then I realised that I was chained to the wall by my wrists.  
  
I started to shake the chains trying to beak lose of them and trying to remember how I had ended up in this prison.  
  
" Let me go!!" I shouted to the top of my voice and I could here a whole lot of shouting from the outside as my reply.  
  
" There is no use in trying to get out of them." Said a low voice.  
  
I looked up with my eyes wide open and for the first time I noticed a lady in the other end of the dark room, she too chained.  
  
" Who are you?" I asked trying to conceal my fear.  
  
" A prisoner as yourself." She replied.  
  
" Where am I?" I asked.  
  
" In a prison." She answered.  
  
I furrowed my eyebrows at her. I obviously knew that.  
  
" Why are you here?" she asked me.  
  
I opened my mouth to answer but then it occurred to me that I had no idea as to why I was here. I did not even know how I ended up here.  
  
" I do not know." I answered truthfully, making her laugh.  
  
" Why are you here?" I asked her.  
  
" I killed one of his highnesses officers." She answered shrugging as if her crime was nothing.  
  
My eyebrows raised at this. She acted as if the crime she had committed was done everyday. Then it suddenly struck me that she had said 'his highnesses'.  
  
" Where am I?" I asked hoping to get a better answer than what I got before.  
  
" I told you." she said.  
  
" No I mean where I am I? What city? Who's the ruler here?" I asked.  
  
" Are you not from here?" she asked and I shook my head in reply. " Well we are in the realms of northern Mirkwood." She said. " If you are not form here then where are you from?" she asked.  
  
So I was right. I had wandered into Mirkwood and those elves were probably border guards. I was most probably in the main city at this moment.  
  
" I come from Lothlorien."  
  
" Then what are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
I had to think for a moment, regaining all lost information before I finally started to speak. " I was supposed to go to Rivendell but we took a detour and I ended up in these woods. A giant spider chased me and then these men tied me up. That is all I can remember at this moment." I said frowning at how little I knew.  
  
Why was it I couldn't remember what happened?  
  
" Well if you ask me you and I are going to be in here for some time." The lady said casually.  
  
" How long have you been here?" I asked.  
  
" A few years." she replied.  
  
" A few years!" I said disbelievingly.  
  
" Do not worry. They do give you food although sometimes they forget." She said.  
  
" I cannot stay here for a few years." I said miserably.  
  
Would I have to wait years before I was finally released? And what did I do to end up in this place at all? As far as I can remember I did nothing. Where was Killen? Was he safe or was he running from spiders? Or perhaps he too is held captive somewhere else in this place.  
  
Waves of pessimistic thoughts splashed through my head. Now I understood why other elves did not bother trying to make company with those in Mirkwood unless in times of great need like in war. It seemed that these elves did not want any outsiders roaming freely in their woods and kept them captive even if they didn't commit any crime.  
  
I looked up at the lady to ask her name but she seemed to be sleeping so I didn't bother.  
  
How much I wished that Killen were here to save me as he always did.  
  
I sighed and stared into the darkness. How long would I have to wait?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It turned out that I did not have to wait that long. It was only the next morning, or so I thought it was saying that I could not see any light from the outside world, that one of the prison guards came in to give us our food.  
  
" Why am I here?" I asked him as he untied me from the chains.  
  
He ignored me and went on to the other lady.  
  
I continued to question him but with one glare from him I knew not to talk.  
  
This process went on for a few days until another man with more regal clothes came in with our normal prison guard.  
  
" Is she the one?" he asked our guard.  
  
" Yes. Why?" the guard asked.  
  
" Unchain her." He ordered.  
  
" You know I have not the power to do that." The guard said.  
  
" I am telling you now to unchain her."  
  
" But I have not been given orders to do this!" he shouted.  
  
" I am ordering you now!!" the new man shouted.  
  
The prison guard walked towards me muttering and unlocked the chains and picked me up roughly.  
  
" Do not blame me when his highness orders both of our deaths. You do not even know who this woman is. She could even me an assassin." The guard growled.  
  
" It is his majesty who ordered me to release this wench and bring her before him." The man snarled looking at me.  
  
" You cannot being her before his majesty! Look at her! She looks like one of the street whores in Bree!" the guard yelled looking at me too.  
  
My jaw dropped in offence. " I am no whore sir and seeing that you have seen a whore surely you are able to tell the difference." I said heatedly.  
  
She saw a smile appear on the advisor's lips.  
  
" Shut your mouth you wench." The guard growled angrily. " As I was saying you would need over ten maids to get this women presentable enough for the king's sight." He said to the advisor,  
  
" Well then you can find those ten to clean her up." The man said cynically before leaving us.  
  
" I doubt that is highly possible." The guard mumbled to himself but I heard clearly.  
  
The guard looked at me before pushing me out of the dungeon and locking the door after us.  
  
" Where are you taking me?" I asked as he pushed me along a dark corridor where there were other doors that led to dungeons that I guessed where similar to the one I had been in before.  
  
" The kings advisor as appointed me in the great joy of undertaking the task of making you more presentable to the king." The man said sarcastically.  
  
The king's advisor said that the king had ordered himself that I'd be released. Did he know who I was? Did he know that I was one of the Lady Galadriel's handmaids? Had he seen me by her side at any time?  
  
More questions ran through my head as the guard led me into a room where there was a lady waiting.  
  
" Clean her up and make it quick. His majesty is waiting for her." The guard said leaving me alone in the dark unpleasant room with this lady.  
  
She led me into another room where there was a bath waiting. I looked into the mirror and my jaw dropped when I saw my reflection.  
  
My normally silky blonde hair was now dirty, dead and knotted that I doubted I could ever run a comb through it again. Not an inch of the skin on my face was clean but instead covered with dirt and mud. My once white dress was the colour of mud as well with grass stains here and there. I understood why the guard had thought it impossible to get me cleaned.  
  
The lady helped me out of my old dress and left me alone to bathe myself.  
  
I could not remember the last time I had a shower and it felt so heavenly just sitting in the hot water and letting it lap over my body, cleansing me of all the mud that used to encrust my skin.  
  
When I immerged from the bathroom the lady dressed me in a beautiful white dress with silvery lace entwined with its normal fabric and left my hair down, letting it fall in soft waves.  
  
After the maid was certain that I looked good enough she called a name from outside and the prison came inside. At first he just stared at me with plain shock written all over his face. Then with some gruff mumbling he made me follow him down numerous dark halls.  
  
I wondered if this was how all of Mirkwood looked like? Dark and gloomy. If so then I certainly know why it is called Mirkwood.  
  
After some long time of walking with the guard, who was constantly grumbling about how much of a nuisance I was, we went to a room where the man who had ordered me to be released was waiting.  
  
He too stared at me with wonder.  
  
" And you said it not possible to make her presentable." He said in an undertone to the guard who was looking at him sourly.  
  
" Come, his majesty does not have patience. You are all ready in enough trouble as it is. You do not want to make him angrier." The man said looking at me.  
  
With one last look at the guard I followed the king's advisor out of the room and he guided me through numerous halls until we reached a particular door. When he opened it the brilliance of sunlight shone down so heavily that I needed to shield my eyes because I had been kept in the dark for such a long time. As I got used to the light I realised that it was in fact past long past midday and the sun was going down.  
  
I could not help but stare at the beauty that surrounded me. The buildings were all made of white stone and the trees were green lush, much unlike those I had hid in before. I could see elves walking down random halls and in private courtyards and everything I saw amazed me. Although the city was nothing compared to that of Lothlorien it held a different type of beauty.  
  
" My name is Malcalium. Now I am taking you straight to see his highness." The man said. " You will address king Thranduil as your highness, your majesty, my lord or sire and you will not speak unless he questions you to. Is that understood?" he asked.  
  
I nodded obediently as I continued to look around this glorious city.  
  
" Do not do anything to anger his majesty because he holds no tolerance for outsiders." He said as we stopped outside two large double doors where two elves were standing guarding it.  
  
" His majesty is not here at this moment." One of them said to the guard.  
  
" Could you inform him that the lady is here?" the advisor said before opening the doors and leading me inside.  
  
Inside the incredible large room there was a fireplace where a fire was burning away. There was great table where there were numerous sheets of paper and an impressive seat lay behind it that without the table could almost pass for a less comfortable throne. With all of the bookshelves that lined the room's walls I soon realised that I was in the king's study.  
  
As I waited for the king to arrive my thoughts began to wonder on who he was. It was obvious by the way everyone spoke of him that he was a highly respectable man. Like everyone else I had seen so far in Mirkwood I expected him to have blonde hair either golden or silvery just like Lord Celeborn. I began to wonder if he was perhaps like my Lord, Celeborn gentle quiet and tranquil. Or perhaps his personality was more like Lord Elrond, kind caring and ever concerned of those around him.  
  
Another few minutes passed and I waited with the king's advisor. I heard the door open with a great bang and I turned around to see who it was.  
  
Time seemed to stand still. My whole being froze and my heart stopped beating as my eyes saw the elven king. I had not thought it possible to ever see someone so beautiful and perfect. He was dressed in clothes of grey and silver. He wore a crown of silver leaves and his silvery hair draped over his shoulders like strands of silken thread. And his eyes. They were so dark that I was sure I looked hard enough into them I would find the sun, moon and stars. They were so compelling, so striking. Out of all of the beautiful features of him, his eyes were the most noticeable characteristic.  
  
As beautiful as he looked there was something about him that enthralled and frightened me all at once. The atmosphere around him was filled with such powerful magnetism that I could at once see why he was respected and feared. Supremacy, potency and prerogitiveness seemed to seep from his being and I could not help but feel afraid of him.  
  
" I was informed that this women resembled the likings of a whore and not that of a noble lady." Said a sleek, calm voice.  
  
I broke out of my trance when I realised that the king had spoken.  
  
He stood in the entrance of the door staring at me but it was clear that he was talking to his advisor.  
  
Another two elves walked into the room and stopped behind the king, they two staring at me.  
  
" You were informed incorrectly your majesty." The advisor said bowing.  
  
" Really?" the king asked turning his head to Malcalium. " And who was it who conjured this praecipe?" he asked.  
  
" It was I sire. I had not seen her properly because of the dimness in the dungeons." He said shakily.  
  
" I did not know you were blind as well as obtuse Malcalium." The king said with a smug look on his face, making the other two men behind him snigger.  
  
The king looked back at me, his gaze meeting mine. His eyes were so enchanting. So dark and inexplicable, mysterious and so enthralling.  
  
" Leave. All of you." The king ordered firmly his eyes never leaving contact with mine. Malcalium and the other men bowed before leaving, closing both of the door behind them and leaving me alone in the room with this fascinating and terrifying man.  
  
My heart beet accelerated to twice its normal pace as he continued to stare straight into my eyes. After what seemed like hours, but in fact were only a few minutes, I could no longer handle his staring and I broke eye contact with him, looking into the flickering fire next to me.  
  
From the corner of my eyes I could see him walking slowly towards me with his hands behind his back, his eyes absorbing everything he saw.  
  
My breathing quickened and I had to put my hands together to stop myself from trembling. Tension filled the air and I could not help but feel uncomfortable but his majesty showed no sign of discomfort as he silently continued to look at me. I could do nothing but stand silently, allowing him to watch me.  
  
He began to circle me, looking me up and down like a vulture circling its prey and a feeling of nervousness overwhelmed me as our eyes met for a few split seconds before he passed behind me. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I could feel his dark eyes probing my body and I reopened my own eyes as he finished his circle standing in front of me his eyes never lingering over one part of my body for too long.  
  
" What is your name?" he asked me.  
  
"Arielle, your majesty." I said quietly looking down at the floor.  
  
" You are an elf?"  
  
" Yes, your highness." " Where are you from?" he asked.  
  
" The Golden Woods, sire." I said.  
  
" And why is it you are here?" he asked.  
  
" I do not know sire." I said shakily. The man was so intimidating that I felt like a child being questioned for stealing.  
  
" You do not know?" he asked me walking over in front of the fireplace, his back facing me. " How is it you got to be in my realms?" he asked.  
  
" I cannot remember wholly sire." I answered.  
  
" Enlighten me with what you know then." He said.  
  
" I was travelling to Rivendell and we took a detour hoping to get there faster." I started.  
  
" We?" the king asked. " There is another?"  
  
" Yes, my friend." I explained looking at his back.  
  
" Continue." He ordered.  
  
" I lost my friend and I ended up in your woods. I was chased by a spider and then was saved by your border guards who then poisoned me with fumes and brought me here." I said.  
  
" Is that so? I thought you could not remember how it is you arrived here but you speak as if you remember every account." the king asked turning around with his eyebrows raised. " And how is it you know that they were poisonous fumes? Surly if they were you would not be so orientated as to sum all of that up in your head within a matter of seconds." He said in a velvety voice.  
  
I looked at him for a second. I knew what he was trying to do. He was going to change my words so that I would falter and give him the satisfaction of being right.  
  
" What I say is only an assumption, sire, that I figured during my stay in your dungeons." I said softly looking down at the ground.  
  
He was silent for a while just watching me.  
  
" How can I be sure that you are not here to assail me?" the king asked her. " Although Sauron is temporarily subjugated his novices still linger. There are many things here both beautiful and foul that are create evil."  
  
" I assure you your majesty I mean no harm to you or your kingdom." I said.  
  
" I am sure you do not mean to but you have." He said darkly.  
  
I frowned trying to make sense of what he had just said.  
  
" Sire I mean no insult but I have done nothing to deserve the treatment that I have received from your elves." I said.  
  
" Really?" he asked in a silky voice, his eyebrows raised superiorly as he made his way towards me.  
  
" You enter my realms uninvited and without any reason. You cause a disturbance in the woods and wake the spiders. You then lead them towards my kingdom risking the lives of over 20 000 elves with your foolishness." He said circling around me as he spoke just as he had done before.  
  
I wanted to defend myself but I could say nothing because everything that he accused me of doing was right. I just stood there silently looking at the floor as he continued to talk and circle me like a vulture.  
  
" You injure one of the border guards by brutally stepping on his foot then claim that my men poisoned you right after you say that you do not remember how you came to be here. You create a disturbance in the dungeons with your contrite shouting and make a mockery out of one of my guards."  
  
The king was now standing in front of me. The more he continued to speak the more conceited and pompous I thought he was.  
  
" You lie to me," he continued, his voice sounding more angrier than before, " By telling me that you are from Lothlorien."  
  
I opened my mouth to object but I found myself speechless. How was it that he could make me feel guilty over nothing I have truly done wrong?  
  
" Considering everything that you have done," He said in his normal smooth voice as he walked around me again, " Give me one good reason as to why I should not kill you." he said in a low seductive voice that was only just above a whisper.  
  
A shiver ran down my spine as he said this in my ear, his lips brushing slightly against my skin and his hot breath travelling down my neck sending more chills through my body.  
  
Not only was this man this man terribly frightening, beautiful and charismatic but also very alluring with his silky voice and actions.  
  
I could feel my heart beat accelerating and I felt all weak inside of myself. How could he make me feel all of this without even trying?  
  
I felt something cold come into contact with the front of my neck and looked down to see what it was. Distress immediately swept over me and my breathinarate increased into gasps as I realised that the king was holding a dagger to my throat.  
  
I looked at him, frightfully; out of the corner of my eye to find him looking at me with those incredible dark eyes and a thin satisfied smile on his face to my reaction.  
  
" Can you not think of at least one thing that will safe your life?" he asked me, his voice dreadfully soft.  
  
He walked back in front of me, so that I could see him properly, the blade of his knife never leaving contact with my skin.  
  
I could say nothing or do nothing but stare at him with fright.  
  
He pressed the blade against my skin forcing my head to tilt up and look at him straight in the eye.  
  
" Nothing? At least one thing that will prevent me from taking your life?" he asked looking at me piteously.  
  
I stared in horror at him. Was he seriously considering killing me when I had done nothing at all?  
  
I looked into his dark eyes pleadingly. I no longer felt like I would find anything in the night sky in there but instead I felt like I could fall into them and continue falling, forever into the dark abyss.  
  
Once again a thin complacent smile formed over his lips. He loosened his grip on the dagger and slowly brought it down from my throat.  
  
" You didn't worry fair one. I would not slaughter a creature as beautiful as you." he said softly as he cocked his head and ran his index finger down my jaw bone, sending more chills over me.  
  
"I discerned as soon as I saw you that you were no threat to me."  
  
If he knew that I was no threat then why had he interrogated me?  
  
" You needn't have lied to me either about where you are from. You cannot be from Lothlorien for although you have fair hair you also posses green eyes which is not a trait that those in Lorien carry." He said.  
  
" My father is from Rivendell. I was borne in Lothlorien." I said shakily.  
  
" That is explanatory. It is a wonder that you are not of the Vanyar elves for your beauty is quite striking." He said.  
  
I was so scared of what he would do next that I had not realised that he just given me a compliment.  
  
He walked behind his table and cast his knife down lazily upon it before opening a drawer and taking something small out of it that I could not see.  
  
He then made his way towards the double door and opened it handing whatever that was in his hand to one of the guards that were outside.  
  
" Escort Lady Arielle to her temporary bedchamber." He ordered looking back at me.  
  
" Who was the person who was guarding you while you were in the dungeon?" he asked me.  
  
" I do not know his name, your majesty." He answered him.  
  
" Describe him." He said.  
  
" Tall, blonde, slightly dirty, unfriendly and smelled heavily of alcohol." I answered.  
  
The king nodded and looked at the other guard. " You, go down to the dungeons, find this man and execute him and Malcalium for naming this woman a whore." The king said before walking back to his table and sitting down at his chair.  
  
I stared at him in disbelief. Was that it? Did he just do all of that questioning for the sake of nothing? He was now just letting me wander free and going to execute the two men who had called me whores?  
  
" Come milady." The guard said taking my hand and leading me out of the room.  
  
I looked back over my shoulder at the king, who sat at his table writing something.  
  
He was indeed very confusing. Not only that but also incredibly handsome and mystifying.  
  
I frowned trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.  
  
I looked back at him one last time to find him staring back at me with those incredible, beautiful, captivating dark eyes.  
  
The other elf walked out of the room and closed the door behind him and the face of the beautiful elven king, I could see no more.  
  
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Hey there peoples! This is Elithien. Please review and tell us what you think. I know hardly anything happened here but believe in future chapters ( maybe the third or fourth) there will be a lot of Thranduil. Anywho please just review. Thankyou! 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer~ We don't own anything in here except for a few people so please do not sue.  
  
Please R/R. Please! And thankyou to those who did.  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
I sat on the bed of my 'temporary bedchamber'. It was an average size room with a large bed, cupboard, a dressing table with a mirror and chair.  
  
I looked around me nervously rethinking over the ordeal I had gone through only the night before with the king.  
  
Even when the Lady Galadriel had questioned me before I became her handmaiden it had not been so nerve wracking as the king's questioning had been. And what made me more afraid of him was that I felt like he could see right through me and know if I was lying or not.  
  
He really was intimidating with everything he said and did. I could not even look him straight in the eye for at least ten seconds without being frightened. I understood why he was so highly regarded amongst his subjects, because he was so coerce.  
  
I still did not know the king well enough to discern what type of a person he was. There were times when he sounded incredibly conceited speaking as if he owned all of Arda. It is clear though that he is very pompous. I figured that out as soon as I saw him. Or more like after I had gotten over the sight of him.  
  
I still cannot believe just how beautiful he looks. In all my years I have never come across a man with such beauty. It seemed like he was not an elf at all, but a god. He certainly acted as such.  
  
I remember faintly Lady Galadriel talking about him to Lord Celeborn. I know that he has been in rule for some time, ever since his father had fallen in the Last alliance. He cannot be that much older than me, for he himself was in the war, just like my father and brother.  
  
I looked outside the room, through the window. It is quite dark outside. I had spent my whole day walking around the amazing palace and gardens with nothing to do. The fascination of basking in the sun had soon worn off and I was sure I had walked down every hall in the castle. I was not still facing the problem of having nothing to do. As late as it was it felt too early for me to go to sleep just yet. The stars were out now and they glimmered brightly in the dark evening sky.  
  
There was a knock on the door and I turned my head.  
  
" Come in." I said.  
  
The door slowly opened and two ladies dressed in simple white clothing came in, they were obviously maids.  
  
" Milady we've been asked to get you ready." One of them said smiling walking into the room.  
  
" Ready for what?" I asked frowning as the other one walked in with something gold draped across her arms.  
  
" The ball." The maid said standing me up.  
  
" What?" I asked.  
  
" His majesty is having a ball in honour of his guests from Rivendell." The second maid said as she laid out what was a gold dress on the bed.  
  
Rivendell? I thought that these elves did not associate with other elves.  
  
I continued to question the maids as they dressed me and did my hair and soon found that it was not just any normal ball but in fact a masquerade just to make things more entertaining. The reason why there were elves from Rivendell was because Lord Elrond was sending a messenger to the king. Perhaps when they left I could go with them.  
  
By the time they had finished I was dressed in a beautiful gold and partially crème dress with my hair left down but I wore a small gold tiara like hairpiece that kept the hair out of my eyes. I was also given a gold mask then concealed my face including me nose and revealed everything else underneath. The gold mask itself had bright diamonds in it and swirls of some glittering substance making it more decorative.  
  
After the maids had left me I sat still in my room wondering what I was to do. Finally I stepped out of my room, following the directions of the maids that would lead me to the ballroom.  
  
I was unsure if I should go, after all I would know nobody there, besides the king but what company was he.  
  
I walked through the big double doors and found myself in the big ballroom that was filled with elves, all in the most elegant attire manageable and all of them wearing masks. In the centre of the room there were couples dancing in time to the music and all around them there were others who spoke, laughed, drank and conversed with one another.  
  
Although I was Galadriel's handmaid I did not so much as serve her, but instead I was more of her attendant and friend, following her wherever she would go and listening to her when she spoke to me. I even played with Lady Celebrian when I was younger, she being only a few centuries older than me. I had been to many balls such as this one but I had never been to one that seemed so glorious.  
  
I walked nervously, wringing my hands and looking around me, wondering what I was to do.  
  
" Milady." Said a voice.  
  
I took no notice and kept on observing my surroundings until I felt a hand on the bend of my elbow and someone say 'milady' again.  
  
I turned around, surprised that it was I who was being addressed, but frowned when I could not recognise who was speaking to me.  
  
He obviously realised this and lifted his mask and I saw one of the two men who I had seen behind the king earlier.  
  
" Good evening." He said kissing my hand gently.  
  
" Good evening my lord." I said politely smiling.  
  
" It is indeed good of you to come seeing that you know no one here." He said smiling. " Perhaps you would like me to introduce you to some other elves?"  
  
" Yes please." I said gratefully.  
  
He offered his arm to me and I took it.  
  
"What is your name?" he asked me.  
  
" Arielle." I answered looking around me.  
  
" My name is Alcolyte." He said pleasantly.  
  
Alcolyte led me towards a group of elves who were laughing with one another most of them not wearing their masks. Alcolyte took off his mask so I took mine off as well, not wanting to be rude. I felt quite uncomfortable and alien in this place without my mask, even though you could not tell me apart from the others.  
  
" May I introduce Lady Arielle." Alcolyte said after clearing his throat to get some attention from them.  
  
They all turned their heads and stared at me with big blue or brown eyes making me feel even more alien.  
  
" Oh is this the lady from Lothlorien?" one of the ladies asked and Alcolyte nodded.  
  
At once they all started to smile and ask me questions that I found hard to answer all at the same time.  
  
" Is it true that you elves live on talans?"  
  
" How did you end up here?"  
  
" Why is it that the trees in Lorien never discolour?"  
  
" What do the spiders look like?"  
  
" Who is Galadriel and Celeborn?"  
  
" Has Lothlorien changed much since I last saw it?"  
  
I smiled as I tried to answer all of their questions all at once. They were very curious about Lothlorien and I soon found that most have them had never been there, which was no surprise to me because Lord Celeborn was very cautious with who he let in and out of out woods.  
  
Soon enough I got to know the names of those who I were talking to. They were a nice bunch of people.  
  
" Come." Alcolyte said leading me away from the group we had been talking to.  
  
" Where are we going?" I asked him. I no longer felt too nervous, especially around him.  
  
" We, milady, are going to dance." He said smiling.  
  
I opened my mouth to object but his actions were to fast and before I knew it I was in the centre of the ballroom with him and other elves.  
  
The minuet started and all that I could do now was join in, giving Alcolyte occasional glares which he merely laughed off.  
  
I moved gracefully next to my partner, following the same moves that those around me made with Acolyte gliding gracefully around me and past me.  
  
" So where is this friend of yours?" he asked me as he took my hand and turned me under his arm and bowing.  
  
" I do not know." I said sadly.  
  
" Do you think he is perhaps somewhere in our woods?" he asked.  
  
" I hope so." I said.  
  
" Our guards will most probably find him." He said optimistically.  
  
" Will they hurt him thinking that he is an enemy?" I asked.  
  
" Not if they are given orders not to hurt him."  
  
I sighed feeling lonely suddenly with the absence of my Kellin. I never thought that I would miss him this much. For as long as I could remember I've always had Kellin with me ever since I was a little girl, mainly because his father and mine were best friends and Kellin's father was the only father figure I had ever had. I never met my father, who had perished in the last alliance. He himself never knew that I existed in my mother's womb. She only found out that she was pregnant after he had left. My older brother was far too injured after the war and too died after much pain. My father never returned from the war and my mother was left to raise me by herself but Kellin's father and mother helped her and Kellin grew close to me as a brother.  
  
I was brought out of my reverie when I realised that I was no longer dancing with Alcolyte but some other elf who wore a dark navy blue mask instead of the silvery mask my former partner was wearing.  
  
I frowned and looked around me trying to find Alcolyte and saw him with some other lady. I looked back at the new elf to find him smiling with amusement at me, making go slightly red and grateful that I was hidden behind a mask.  
  
After more graceful sliding, bowing and turning I had another partner. He wore a red mask and was very talkative. Most of the time that I danced with him I could not help but laugh at what he said, he was very humorous.  
  
After bowing to the man in the red I turned around to see who my next partner was and was met by another elf, this time wearing gold just like me. 'What a coincidence' I thought.  
  
He took my right hand and bowed, kissing it gently, his rich dark eyes peering over my hand into my eyes. I was so enthralled by his actions, as simple as they were, but that kiss was not necessary.  
  
As if I was under a spell I could not look away from his eyes. They were so captivating and he in return did not break his gaze.  
  
Although I could not see most of his face, I could tell that he was incredibly handsome. He wore elegant imposing gold and red attire and wore a gold mask that covered the upper half of his face, just like mine. His long, straight, silvery hair was worn in the normal elven fashion and seemed so pale that the gold from his long robe seemed to reflect on his hair colouring it. Around his head there was a thin crown made of gold leaves. He was taller than me by only a few centre meters but when looking at him I still had to tilt my head up slightly. Overall his appearance was breathtaking. If only I could see his face.  
  
He moved elegantly and smoothly around and beside me, his movements so fawnlike. He always made eye contact with me, and even if he needed to break it his eyes never strayed for too long. There was something odd in the way that he looked at me. It was as if he knew something that I did not. I always noticed a certain glint in his dark eyes when he looked me over when I was supposedly not looking but when we were looking at each other directly in the eye his gaze seemed to be so subtle and calm yet at the same time so magnetising and mysterious, almost even seductive.  
  
Under any normal circumstance I would not be still dancing with him but instead hiding behind the closest tree outside the hall, bright red, but behind my mask I felt like I had reason to feel embarrassed, after all he could not see my face and he did not know who I was.  
  
One thing I noticed about him was that he never spoke nor did he smile. He maintained the same secretive demeanour throughout everything. At times he would have an amused look on his face by my nervous reaction to his staring but it never lasted that long. His silence intrigued me so much and I wanted to talk to him so badly but it was as if I were under his spell drawing me into silence with him.  
  
I soon realised that he would move on and dance with some other woman and I would have a new partner. For some reason I did not want to part with him. I did not want to stop dancing with him.  
  
I sighed and turned around knowing that when I looked back I would have another partner but to my surprise he was still there.  
  
I frowned as he took my hand turned me in a full circle underneath his arm before meeting me again and bowing just like all the others around him.  
  
Was I wrong in my timing? I looked around at the other dancing couples but they had all swapped partners. I looked back at him to find him looking at me with a slightly amused look on his face. As much as I questioned why he was still dancing with me I had no objections.  
  
The same thing happened repeatedly, when I should have had another partner he continued to dance with me. None of the others who were dancing seemed to notice this but as before I had no objections.  
  
" Who are you?" I asked him finally.  
  
" *Mankoi umlle iest sinta?*" he asked me his voice so suave and silky.  
  
" Can I not know who it is who is consistently dancing with me?" I asked becoming more intrigued with his identity.  
  
" Does it matter?" he asked me.  
  
" Not really." I said after some thought.  
  
" Then you have no need to question." He said.  
  
" But I only want to know your name." I said.  
  
He shook his head with a discreet smile on his face.  
  
" I will tell you what my name is and in return you have to tell me what yours is." I said smiling. " My name is Arielle. Now you must tell me what your name is."  
  
" I never agreed to your bargain Lady Arielle." He said superiorly with a thin smile on his lips.  
  
" That is not fair." I objected with a frown.  
  
" I can always find myself a new partner who will not question my identity." He said.  
  
" No don't do that." I said quickly. I did not want him to leave. Not yet.  
  
I became silent again just staring back at him. The more I watched him the more I wanted to know him better. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to see his face. I felt so ludicrous getting all excited over nothing. I was merely dancing with him but I could not help but feel the way I did.  
  
" Do you live here?" I asked him trying to make conversation.  
  
He simply nodded as an answer.  
  
I secretly frowned in disappointment, but of course he could not see because of my mask. I wanted so much to hear his voice again. It was so soft and gentle, so smooth and seductive. I mentally started berating myself. I hardly knew anything about the man and I was already becoming infatuated over nothing.  
  
" Have you ever been to a masquerade?" I asked again.  
  
" Must you always speak and spoil the silence?" he asked with an amused look on his face.  
  
I looked at the ground slightly embarrassed and knew that I was most probably becoming a subtle red.  
  
" As much as I would love to hear your beautiful voice, milady, at this moment I would rather just have the pleasure of dancing with you."  
  
If my face was a subtle red before it was now definitely a very vibrant shade of red. I decided I would remain silent after that, mostly because I was too embarrassed to say anything more.  
  
I turned around and saw Alcolyte with another lady dressed with red and I waved at him and he smiled back at me in return. Looking around the ballroom I began to realise that my partner and I were the only ones who were wearing gold. Others wore clothing with hints of gold but with us it was the other way around, he wearing gold with red and me wearing gold with hints of crème. 'Very coincidental' I thought.  
  
I turned back around facing him and I curtseyed slightly as he took my hand and bowed again. I looked over his shoulder at a man who was staring at me. That was something I had noticed, while I danced with my partner. That man had been watching me very intently as he stood in a group of other male elves, sipping away at his wine slowly, his eyes never leaving contact with me. I suddenly became very agitated with his staring.  
  
Who was he? I could not see his face because he too wore a mask over his face. It was silver just like his clothing and hair.  
  
" What is the matter?" asked a voice.  
  
I looked up, shaken from my staring, at my partner who was looking at me.  
  
He had obviously noticed that I had suddenly become tense. " Nothing." I said smiling reassuringly.  
  
I turned my head and looked back towards the man in silver. He still stared at me.  
  
Trying to forget and ignore him I looked back at my partner. He looked down on me warmly with his incredible dark eyes. Every time I looked into those eyes I just became more amazed. The novelty did not wear off. They always remained so mysterious.  
  
He folded a stray lock of hair behind my pointed elven ear and ran his long slender index finger down my jaw delicately.  
  
" *Lle naa ikotane vanima*" he whispered softly as he caressed me cheek with the back of his hand and traced the contours of my lips with his long delicate fingers.  
  
I looked back up at him speechless. This was certainly not part of this dance.  
  
He lowered his head towards me and I felt the feeling of a thousand wings fluttering in my stomach, as my heart started to accelerate. His long slender fingers snaked around my neck as he pulled me closer to him.  
  
I closed my eyes as I felt his soft lips press gently against my own and everything around me seemed to melt away into oblivion. But it didn't last that long.  
  
In the distance there was a crash followed by numerous screams, causing both me and this glorious man to pull away from each other.  
  
I turned my head towards where the crash and scream came from and found a wine glass broken on the ground and women apologising to the servant who was on the floor cleaning it up.  
  
Behind her stood a group of people. One of them was the man dress in silver who was still staring at me but his eyes seemed darker than what they were before.  
  
Once again the music started and everyone began to dance.  
  
I looked back at my partner and found him looking at the woman darkly, his arms still around me.  
  
" You know that man?" he asked me.  
  
I looked behind me and it was then that I realised he was not looking at the woman but the man dressed in silver.  
  
" No." I answered him.  
  
" Excuse me." He said letting go of me and beginning to walk away.  
  
" No wait. Your name." I said hastily grabbing his arm.  
  
He ignored me and continued walking.  
  
" Please?" I said after him not letting go if his arm.  
  
He turned his head and looked at me gently. " *Namarie vanimaer*" he said caressing my cheek again with his hand before her turned around and walked briskly away from me before I could stop him again.  
  
I stood there motionlessly staring into the space where I had last seen him before a couple walked in front of him and he was gone.  
  
" Milady? Are you alright?" asked a voice behind me.  
  
I turned around and saw Alcolyte looking at me concernedly.  
  
" Who is he? What is his name?" I asked him.  
  
" Who is who, milady?" he asked with a frown.  
  
" The man. Who is the man whom I was dancing with?" I asked frantically.  
  
I needed to know who he was. I didn't know why but I needed to.  
  
" You were dancing with numerous men, lady." He said.  
  
" He wore gold. Gold and red." I said.  
  
" I am sorry milady but I know not of whom you speak." He said.  
  
" He was wearing gold. He was the only one in here wearing gold." I said frantically hoping that Alcolyte would know who I was speaking of.  
  
" I am sorry." He said again.  
  
I sighed and looked around me hoping I would see him. I looked back towards the man who wore silver but he too was gone.  
  
" Come, milady. Let us go and speak with the others." He said taking my arm and leading me towards the group of people who we had been talking to before.  
  
I hardly noticed what they were speaking of because I was too busy looking around the hall for the man with the beautiful eyes. I needed to see him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to talk to him and know him better.  
  
Hours passed of futile conversations, drinking and dancing but I still have not seen him. I know that I was acting childish but I was really wanted to see him again.  
  
" Milady do you want another drink?" Alcolyte asked me.  
  
" No thankyou." I said politely smiling.  
  
Ever since I had got here Alcolyte had been the perfect gentleman, never leaving me and asking me if I was all right. I was grateful to him because if he didn't talk to me then I would have no one to talk to.  
  
I suddenly got an agitating feeling in me. I frowned and looked around me. I hated it when I felt like this. Trying to ignore it I continued to listen to the conversation everyone was having but it didn't go away.  
  
I looked behind my back and I eyes grew big when I saw a gold mask looking over someone's shoulder straight at me. I turned around completely but then he was gone. I frowned and excused myself walking towards the person who had been with him.  
  
" Excuse me my lord." I said courteously to the man who was talking so some other elf. " Who was the man whom you were talking to before?" I asked.  
  
" What man?" he asked looking at me blankly.  
  
" A man. He wore gold." I said.  
  
" I am sorry dearest but I know not of whom you speak." He said before turning around and continuing talking.  
  
I sighed and walked over to where I had been before. Was that even him? Was I just hallucinating?  
  
I could still feel that agitated feeling in me. It had to be him. He was somewhere watching me. I could feel it.  
  
Looking all around me I try to detect him somewhere, anywhere, but I don't see his beautiful face. I frowned. How hard could it be? There was only him and myself who wore gold in this hall. How was it I couldn't find him?  
  
Once again I found the man who wore silver staring at me. Perhaps it was his staring that was getting me all agitated. Against the silver mask his dark eyes seemed like bottomless pits of terror.  
  
Then it struck me. Could he possibly be the king? He certainly stared a lot, just as the king had done with me yesterday.  
  
" Alcolyte where is his majesty?" I asked.  
  
" To tell you the truth I would not have a clue. He could be anyone in the room. You will only find out and midnight." Alcolyte said.  
  
I nodded and looked back at the man in silver. He had a thin smile on his face as if he knew that I was talking about him. I shivered. He really did now how to make a person feel unsettled.  
  
For the next few minutes I couldn't help but keep looking at the man in silver. Every time I looked at him I would find him staring right back at me with a self-satisfied smile on his face. He discerned that he definitely was the king. I doubt that there could ever be any other elf so conceited as him. Nor as beautiful.  
  
I turned my back to the man in silver and looked in front of me and to my surprise, not too far away from me, was standing the man whom I had danced with, staring at me. I took a step forward, my eyes never leaving him, but he raised his hand telling me not come.  
  
I frowned, confused.  
  
He then pointed at me and then at the door and lastly putting up five fingers.  
  
I nodded, understanding that he wanted me to go outside in five minutes.  
  
" Alcolyte." I said my gaze not leaving him.  
  
" Yes." Alcolyte asked me.  
  
" I'm going to." my talking subsided and my eyebrows furrowed again when he lifted one of his delicate fingers to his lips and shook his head slowly, telling me not to tell Alcolyte.  
  
A shiver ran down my spine as he did that. The sight was so beautifully haunting, as his dark eyes peered at me and his beautiful face covered with a mask.  
  
" Uh.don't worry." I said as I watched him turn around and walk towards the door.  
  
After approximately five minutes of waiting I excused myself and started towards the door. A feeling of nervousness fleeted through me. What did he want from me? Why couldn't we just talk here inside the hall? I didn't even know him yet I was following him like a sheep.  
  
I walked out of the hall into the darkness of the night and looked around but so no one so I decided to turn left. Perhaps he'd be down there.  
  
I gasped as I felt somebody's tight grip come around my arm preventing me from walking any further. I turned my head and my eyes widened in horror when I saw the man with the silver mask staring at me.  
  
" You should not be wandering around by yourself, milady. Especially at such a late hour of the night. You do not know what kind of evil things lurk around after death, even though our borders are guarded." He said in a low foreboding voice.  
  
I ignored him and continued to walk on but he constricted his grip on my arm tighter, causing me to wince in pain.  
  
" Milady I suggest that you listen to me and stay inside." He said his voice firmer.  
  
" But I am supposed to-"  
  
" Do you even know who he is?" he cut in challengingly.  
  
Indeed he had been watching me very closely.  
  
" No." I said.  
  
" How do you know that he is not one of Sauron's minions in disguise? You do not even know if he is an elf." He said.  
  
I wrenched my arm away from him and started back towards the hall angrily, clearly hearing his light footfalls behind me. He was obviously making sure that I did go inside.  
  
I walked back towards Alcolyte. They were all still talking. I wanted to see him but I couldn't. Not now. I knew that the man in the silver mask was watching me. I was now certain that he was the king. The same smug look on his face, the same merciless dark eyes, and the same astounding beauty.  
  
Looking back at the door longingly I sighed. Perhaps if I pretended that I had had enough and was on my way to my bedchamber I could get out without his majesty noticing. Why was it that he didn't want me to see the other man? It was only the day before when he was threatening my life and now he was certain that an elf who I had been dancing with was a murderer.  
  
I was just about to put my plan into action, telling Alcolyte that I was tired when I saw a flash of gold from the corner of my eyes. I turned my head quickly and I frowned when I saw him, the man dressed in gold, talking to the king. Or it was more that the king was talking and he listened.  
  
Then suddenly they both turned their heads and looked at me.  
  
My eyes widened. I was totally not expecting that. They both stared at me, one in gold the other in silver but both with glorious dark eyes.  
  
" Alcolyte.who are they?" I asked in a small timid voice.  
  
As if he had heard what I said a small smile lurked across the man in silver's face, making me shiver. He really was scary.  
  
" How should I know? I cannot even see their faces." Alcolyte said in an amused voice, not sensing the urgency in my voice.  
  
I looked back at them but they were both gone. I was begging to become frustrated. Why was it that one second I could see him and the next he'd vanish?  
  
Suddenly the music stopped and there was a blast of loud trumpets earning everyone's attention.  
  
A male elf who was clothed in blue and grey stood up on the dais on which there was a magnificent throne.  
  
" My good ladies and lords. It has been an honour for me and the rest of us musicians performing for you tonight in the ball that is being held in honour of Lord Erestor." He said loudly causing everyone to applaud for the Lord from Rivendell. " I hope that you all have enjoyed it as much as I have and that you continue to enjoy it but at this moment there is something that must be carried out. Before the ball began I was ordered by his majesty that at midnight the identities of those who wore masks were to be revealed. There are now only two minutes left until it is midnight and I ask that you prepare yourself to remove your masks."  
  
There were soft hushed murmurs amongst the elves in the hall and energised anticipation filled the atmosphere. The younger elven maids stood in their group whispering and giggling to one another and I myself couldn't handle it. I wanted to see his face, if at all I got to see him again.  
  
After a short countdown I removed my mask and looked at Alcolyte with a smile.  
  
" Oh Valar you are not my wife!" he exclaimed with a grin making all those who had heard laugh.  
  
Across the hall you could hear laughter and surprised screams and shouts. Looking around it was obvious that half of the elves did not know to whom they had been dancing and conversing with.  
  
The music started again and everything soon went back to normal.  
  
I looked around frantically. I wanted so much now, even more than ever, to see his face.  
  
" Lady Arielle I am going to speak to the king. Would you like to follow me, saying that you indeed have been asking a lot of questions about him." Alcolyte asked me with a smile.  
  
I nodded eagerly. He, the man in gold, had been speaking to the king before. Perhaps he would still be with him.  
  
We weaved through the crowded hall. There were a group of men speaking to each other. I saw the man in silver and next to him was a person dressed in gold with hints of red, his golden mask held in his hand.  
  
We were now only less than a few metres away I tried to calm myself down, I was no longer breathing but hyperventilating instead.  
  
" Your majesty." Alcolyte said getting the attention of all the men who were there including the man in gold.  
  
He turned his head towards us to see who had spoken and then I froze in my tracks staring at him.  
  
Because of my skill in hiding what I truly wish to say the look of horror and shock that I felt inside of me did not show in my outer appearance as I stared at him. I was aghast, astounded, shocked and surprised at the face that I saw staring back at me. The face I was absolutely not expecting to see.  
  
My eyes widened, dismayed as I realised that for the whole night I had been thinking about him, that face, that person.  
  
" Your majesty?" I said weakly staring into his beautiful face.  
  
He was the king! Him, the man who I had been dancing with, the man who I had nearly kissed, the man who had me looking around the room desperately. The same man who the night before had threatened to take my life.  
  
But how! The king wasn't supposed to be incredibly gentle and kind. He was supposed to be conceited, pompous and cold.  
  
" Lady Arielle." He said silkily regarding me as he took a few steps forward and took my hand, placing a soft kiss on it and peering over my hand at me with his dark eyes as he had done before, causing my chin to decline further more than it already was. " Tis good of you to join us. I was not sure if I should be expecting you or not." He commented.  
  
All I could do was stare at him.  
  
" Arielle was it?" another voice said.  
  
I turned my head to see who it was who was talking to me and found the man in silver looking at me. He looked so much like the king but the king's beauty outdone the man in silver's by far.  
  
" Yes. My name is Arielle." I said surveying him. He did not look so scary without his mask, unlike the king.  
  
He took a step towards me and kissed my hand. " My name is Galdorilin. Please excuse our encounter earlier on. I was only doing my job." He said apologetically.  
  
" Your job?" I asked.  
  
" Galdorilin is the head of his majesty's bodyguards." Alcolyte explained.  
  
Indeed I had been completely wrong in my assumptions. Galdorilin was not staring at me, but at the king making sure that no harm came to him. That also explained why he was watching me closely. I was most probably under his suspicion, being an outsider.  
  
The men began to talk to one another, occasionally asking me questions.  
  
I could not believe that he was the king. For some reason I felt cheated.  
  
" *Lle merna salk*" asked a voice.  
  
I looked up from the floor and realised that the king was speaking to me.  
  
I nodded and let him take my hand and lead me to the centre of the ballroom. He took my right hand and put his other arm around my waist and I placed my other hand on his shoulder and we began to dance in time to the graceful music.  
  
" *Mankoi ikotane fios vanimaer?*" he asked me in that rich, seductive, velvety voice of his.  
  
" I did not expect him to be you." I said softly suddenly becoming conscientious of every movement I made.  
  
I had noticed that he was holding my body closer than necessary to his. In fact he was so close to me that there was only a few centre metres space between our faces.  
  
" You did not think I could be a gentleman?" he asked me with a small amused smile on his face.  
  
" No sire. I thought that Lord Galdorilin was you. Your appearances are very similar. Especially at a masquerade."  
  
" Indeed we do look alike. That's the whole point. It's on occasions like this that it comes in handy. Any assassin could easily mistake him for me." The king said.  
  
" You are far more beautiful without a mask." He whispered softly.  
  
" Thankyou sire." I said quietly, feeling myself go red.  
  
This time I had no mask to hide behind. I wanted so much to hide behind a tree but I couldn't run from him. He was king.  
  
I could feel numerous eyes on me. Now that everyone knew who he was they were probably questioning who I was.  
  
" You blush. Do you not wish to look beautiful for a king?" he asked me.  
  
" No sire. It's just that.your people watch." I muttered becoming more embarrassed with all the excess attention I was receiving.  
  
" Have you enjoyed the ball so far?" he asked.  
  
" I thought his majesty enjoyed the silence." I said not realising until after it was said just how rude that was.  
  
He was silent for a few seconds and I could tell that he wasn't used to people talking back at him. Hopefully he wasn't mad at me.  
  
" I've had my chance to observe you both from a close perspective and distant, milady. Now I wish to know you." he said in his cool sleek voice.  
  
" I heard that his majesty is an excellent archer." I said trying to change the subject.  
  
" So I am. I heard that you are an excellent musician and vocalist."  
  
I looked up at him in shock. How did he know that? " Perhaps later on you would like to show me some of your talent. I'm sure that you have many more that you keep hidden." He said, his dark eyes boring into me.  
  
Once again I found myself looking at the floor, not being able to handle his gaze.  
  
" Your majesty I am afraid that I am very exhausted." I said, hoping that he would catch my drift.  
  
He stopped dancing and walked me back to where we were before.  
  
" King Thranduil! So we finally meet." Said one of the men looking at the king.  
  
" So we do Lord Erestor." Thranduil said.  
  
I soon realised that this was the Lord from Rivendell, whom the ball was being held in honour for.  
  
The two talked for a few minutes and I found myself staring at the king.  
  
He was so beautiful and light seemed to radiate from his form. He always held his head up high regally and spoke with great confidence.  
  
I looked down at our arms. They were still linked together. His body was so warm. When he had let me go after dancing it felt like I was being swept away by a very cold torrent  
  
" You highness I was not told that you had such a beautiful lady."  
  
At this I tore my gaze away and searched around the circle we had maid for a person who was obviously the kings wife but then realised that everyone was looking at me. My eyes widened when I realised that the king's 'beautiful lady' was me.  
  
I turned my head to the king and found him looking at me with a small complacent smile over his soft lips.  
  
" Unfortunately," he said looking at Erestor, " this fair maiden does not belong to me."  
  
I stared at the laughing lord in sheer shock. From where in Arda had he got that from?!  
  
" I'm sorry dear lady. I've clearly been drinking too much." he laughed. " I thought so because you both wear matching attire and you too wear a crown." He said to me.  
  
I faked a smile and laughed so that I wouldn't sound too rude.  
  
After another few minutes of talking I really was beginning to be tired.  
  
" Excuse me my lords but I must get going." I said politely, releasing myself from the king's arm, which was still entwined mine.  
  
" I shall escort you if you would like milady." Alcolyte said and I nodded in agreement.  
  
He offered his arm to me and I took it and we began to make our way to the door. Relief spread through me. I couldn't handle being in the presence of the king. There was something that was just so strange about him.  
  
" Oh wait my mask." I said as I dropped it when we were only a few metres away from the door.  
  
I let go of his arm and turned around picking my mask up and making sure it was not broken.  
  
I looked back up and froze when I saw the king looking at me with those incredible dark, seductive eyes.  
  
His hand rose to his soft lips and he kissed his middle and index finger and pointed them at me.  
  
I quickly turned around a shiver running down my spine as I continued to walk with Alcolyte. I could feel his eyes scanning me and I could imagine the small smirk that played on his lips with the satisfaction that he got from making me feel nervous.  
  
I sighed as we walked out of the hall, grateful to get away from those beautiful eyes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lying on my bed with my curled blonde hair sprawled out across the pillows and messed up bed sheets surrounding me, I stared up obliviously at the ceiling.  
  
For the last two nights, ever since the masquerade ball, I had been suffering from insomnia and the rest that I did manage to get was always polluted with sensual, erotic fantasies of a certain elf king.  
  
Even in my sleep he haunts me with his charm and seductiveness. I can hear is smooth, enticing, velvety voice still in my head, calling me to him. I see his beautiful, angelic yet demonic face looking down on me seductive, lecherous. I feel his slender fingers and ever so soft lips running over my skin, inviting, alluring, delightful, pleasing, rapturous. I can sense his mysterious, enigmatic, inexplicable, seductive dark eyes roaming my body.  
  
Thranduil. The name itself seems so pleasurable, rolling off your tongue like sweet, succulent, running honey.  
  
Thranduil.  
  
I had to stop thinking of him.  
  
With a sigh I sat up on my bed, running my fingers through my hair.  
  
Mirkwood was not as sunny as I had thought it was when I first came out of the dungeons. It was because I was confined in the dark for so long a period that the light seemed very bright.  
  
It was explainable as to why it is called Mirkwood. But I have heard tales that this forest once used to be beautiful and green. I doubt though that the beauty of this forest can compare to that of Lothlorien. Just like how the beauty of any other man could never measure up to that of the king of these regions.  
  
I stepped out of my bed and changed my clothes, putting on a white dress I had found in the cupboard the day before.  
  
Just as I had finished brushing my hair there was a knock on the door.  
  
I stood up and walked to the door to answer it.  
  
I open the door and found Galdorilin standing there.  
  
" Morning milady." He said pleasantly.  
  
" Good morning my lord." I said smiling.  
  
" You are looking very lovely this morning." He said.  
  
" Thankyou." I said.  
  
" His majesty wishes to see you in his office."  
  
My eyebrows raised at this. Why would his majesty want to see me?  
  
" Would you like me to escort you there lady?" he asked me.  
  
" No thankyou." I said politely.  
  
Galdorilin nodded, bowed and walked off, leaving me.  
  
After much thought as to what his majesty wanted from me and changing my dress and hair to something more presentable I walked out of my chambers and started towards the kings office.  
  
Again the feeling of butterflies in my stomach came as I neared towards his office. Envisages of the fantasies I had had the nights before ran through my mind, making me even more nervous.  
  
I knocked on the large double doors before entering inside the room.  
  
I closed the door and turned around to find the king at his table, head down, writing. He was so preoccupied he hadn't even noticed me enter.  
  
" Er...your majesty?" I said softly trying to gain his attention.  
  
He looked up from his work and stared at me blankly.  
  
" You called for me." I said.  
  
" Right." He said standing up and walking around the table. " Alcolyte told me of your friend who is still wondering my forests." He said.  
  
My eyes grew big at the mention of Kellin.  
  
" I have a proposition for you. I will send extra guards out in search of your friend to bring her back."  
  
" Him." I corrected.  
  
One of the king's eyebrows arched when I said this.  
  
" Him?" he asked me.  
  
" Yes. Him. His name is Kellin."  
  
" Anyhow I will send out my guards to find your friend so long as you stay here until he is found." He said tensing the 'he'.  
  
I stood there in thought. It was easy to agree but I needed to get to Rivendell because I was on my way to give Lady Celebrian a message from her mother.  
  
" Arielle it would be foolish of you to leave without your companion." He said softly walking towards me.  
  
A chill ran down my spine as he said my name pronouncing every letter with his whispery voice.  
  
" Why should you travel needlessly when I can send one of my own messengers to do the job for you? The Redhorn pass is dangerous at these times." He said, his voice frightfully soft.  
  
" It indeed would be a shame if anything should happen to such a beautiful thing such as yourself." He whispered as he ran his finger down by jaw sending tingling sparks through my body at his touch.  
  
His breathing started to quicken as he slid his hand behind my neck moving closer to me.  
  
"*Namadn' vanimaer amin. Lasta' mani amin quena.*" he uttered breathlessly, tangling his long fingers through my hair.  
  
My heart was thumping so hard and my breathing had turned into deep intake of air as I stared at him wide-eyed in fright.  
  
"*Caelye tula' weera vanimamin hiril?*" He whispered fiercely as he pulled my closer to him.  
  
I nodded frightened before he pressed his lips against mine so forcefully that he pushed my head back. He coaxed my mouth open and slid his tongue into my mouth.  
  
I moaned involuntarily as I felt his tongue probing my mouth erotically. His kisses were far better than any dream that could be dreamt.  
  
His hands either wandered freely over my body or tangled themselves amongst my golden curls.  
  
I tried to pull my head away from him but he was stronger than me and wouldn't let go. I was scared to death of him. My mind was screaming telling me to get away from him but my body was reluctant to act because of the pleasure he inflicted upon me and the fire he had managed to ignite in me with one mere kiss.  
  
I tried desperately to liberate myself from his grasp and get some air into my lungs by breathing through my nose but my attempts were futile.  
  
" Your highness." Came an unidentified voice from the door catching both of our attentions.  
  
The king tore his lips away from me and turned his head towards the door, his eyes flashing murderously.  
  
" What!!" he barked at the elf who was standing there.  
  
" Lord Erestor wishes to-"  
  
" Have you not heard of knocking before you enter a room you insolent fool!! Especially that of a king!!" he screamed.  
  
I untangled myself from his arms and backed away from him frightened at his reaction while trying to regain lost oxygen.  
  
" I am sorry sire but-"  
  
" Get out." The king whispered in a deathly tone, his teeth gritted with anger.  
  
The elf immediately ran out of the room terrified.  
  
The king turned his attention to me, breathing hard from both the shouting and the kiss.  
  
At once I became scared at what he would say or do. Malcalium was certainly right when he said that you didn't want to make the king angry.  
  
" I should get going." I whispered breathlessly, my chest heaving up and down. " Thankyou, sire." I said feebly before bowing and quickly walking out of the room.  
  
Out of the office, I leant against one of the many pillars in the hall, trying to regain my breathe after running some distance in fright.  
  
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. He had kissed me. Why? I know that I had been dreaming of him but I never wanted them to come true.  
  
The threat of crying overwhelmed me as I tried to justify reasons as to why I had let him kiss me but I could think of none.  
  
I didn't want him to kiss me. Vulnerability spread through my being.  
  
' I want my Kellin.' I thought helplessly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Translations  
  
Mankoi umlle iest sinta ~ Why do you wish to know?  
  
Lle naa ikotane vanima~You are so beautiful  
  
Namarie vanimaer ~Farewell fair one.  
  
Mankoi ikotane fios vanimaer? Why so surprised fair one.  
  
Lle merna salk? Do you want to dance  
  
Namadn' vanimaer amin. Lasta' mani amin quena ~ Do not be foolish my fair one. Listen to what I say.  
  
Caelye tula' weera vanimamin hiril?~ Have we come to an agreement my beautiful lady? 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer~ Anything you can find in a book that belongs to Tolkien obviously belongs to him and not us.  
  
OMG!! Everyone go to this site. http://imladris.nu/claudio/slthranduil.html for a very sizzling pic of Thranduil. *drools*  
  
**Warning very very hot elf here** er.nothing really happens much in this story. Sorry. I had to write this chap alone because arithwen was busy with some personal stuff and I'm also sick as hell and have been in hospital for half of this week! So sorry if it isn't as good as you would've liked. Please R/R  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 3  
  
A lazy yawn escaped from my mouth as the maid behind me gently ran the silver brush through my golden hair.  
  
I had been waiting for days but I still got no word from Kellin. I was beginning to miss him desperately. What made the wait seem even longer was the fact that I had nothing to do.  
  
Because I was a guest here there was nothing for me to do. I spent most of my time just sitting around or talking with a few of the elves I had met at the Masquerade.  
  
Besides Kellin there was another distressing matter that occupied my mind. The king. Ever since that encounter in his office I had been trying to avoid him but as fate would have it he seemed to be everywhere I was, making the chore impossible.  
  
He really did scare me. Not only with his potency but also just the way he looked at me every time he saw me.  
  
There wasn't a day that passed by where I would not see him. I'd be walking down the hall and he'd be there. I'd be on my way to see a friend he'd be there. He was everywhere.  
  
I thanked the maid, who was done with my hair, and walked out of my chambers. I had to do something to preoccupy myself so I thought that I'd go and see Neniel, an elf I met at the Masquerade.  
  
Neniel was a nice lady, typically friendly and compassionate, like all elves. Whenever I was bored I could always go and talk to her. She was so easy to talk and get along with.  
  
I turned a corner and walked a little more before getting to a door, which I knocked on.  
  
I heard a few crashes and the sound of things knocking over before the door opened and a lady with crystalline blue eyes and tussled honey blonde hair staring at me wide eyed.  
  
" Arielle!" she said happily.  
  
" Sorry. Did I interrupt you in something?" I asked.  
  
" No I was just writing a letter to my brother. Of course as usual I've managed to spill the ink all over my table." She said smiling.  
  
" Are you busy?" I asked her hopefully.  
  
" No. Come. You can help me give this to the messengers." She said going back in her room.  
  
I watched in the door way as she folded and slipped the paper in an envelope before sealing it with white wax that was waiting near the fire.  
  
She walked back out of the room smiling at me and linked her arm through mine and closing her door and starting to walk with me.  
  
" Have you any news of your friend?" she asked me.  
  
" No." I said dourly.  
  
" Do not lose heart Arielle. They will find him soon enough." She said optimistically. " Oh guess what? My brothers wife is pregnant." She said happily.  
  
" You are going to be an aunty! I can imagine you running around Rivendell after your niece or nephew." I teased, making both us of us laugh.  
  
" I just got a letter from him this morning. This is my reply." She said pointing to the note in her hand.  
  
We gave the letter to the elf who would deliver it for us and then found ourselves walking down different halls, talking, with no particular sense as to where we were going.  
  
I laughed as we continued to walk down different halls but quietened when I heard some voices. I turned my head behind us but couldn't see anyone behind us.  
  
I continued to walk with Neniel but I tried to listen to their voice. I straightaway noticed one voice. Alcolyte. There were other voices as well but I couldn't really recognise any of the others.  
  
We turned a corner and I froze when I saw a group of elves at the other end of the hall walking towards us. The elf in the centre of all of their talking and arguing was the king himself, who looked up at the paper he was reading and looked right down the hall at me.  
  
" Come on. Quickly." I said taking Neniel's arm and dragging her down the hall we were just in.  
  
" Where are we going?" she asked me confused.  
  
" I dropped my necklace." I lied to her as I dragged her into another dimly lit hall that did not have as much lamps as the other hall. I could hear their voices coming closer.  
  
" But we did not even go down this way." She said.  
  
" Shh." I said stopping and blowing out one of the lamps in hope that he would not see me.  
  
" What are we-"  
  
" Shh their coming." I said looking at her desperately.  
  
" Who?" she asked me frowning.  
  
" Be quiet." I whispered hearing their voices.  
  
Before I could anything to stop her Neniel had walked out of the dark hall that we were hidden in and into the main hall.  
  
I saw a smile come over her face.  
  
" Your majesty!" she exclaimed happily as she bowed.  
  
She turned around and looked at me beckoning with my hands to come out. " Arielle it's only the king." She said.  
  
I groaned and hit my head on the wall. Now I would have to show myself.  
  
I walked out of the hall and smiled politely as the king and approximately fifteen other elves behind him came into my view.  
  
" Good afternoon your majesty." I said quietly bowing, trying to avoid making eye contact with him.  
  
Neniel started to talk to the elves, who all seemed to know her and her brother, but none of what she said really registered in my head.  
  
I looked around the hall trying to find something to fix my attention on. I could feel his eyes on me.  
  
As if a magnet or something of the sort attracted me I looked up at him even though I didn't want to. I could help it.  
  
He was wearing forest green today and a crown of green leaves and blood red holly was on his silvery hair that was done up in the normal elven fashion. His head was cocked slightly to his left and one of his arms were crossed and the other held a white feathered quill that had silver streaks running through it, to his face, covering his lips and part of his nose and cheek. His mysterious dark eyes were ever watching me and he had a smug yet incredibly seductive look on his face.  
  
He knew he made me uncomfortable and nervous. He knew that I was trying to avoid him. He knew that he scared me. He knew I found him incredibly intimidating and menacing. He knew that I felt weak and timid whenever I was around him. He liked it. It was like he took pleasure from making me feel this way.  
  
I felt like he could see right through me and knew everything that went on in my mind and everything I felt.  
  
He too was not listening to a word that Neniel said. He seemed to be paying all his attention on me, observing my every move.  
  
I could just make out from behind the quill his tongue licking his lips and his teeth running over them as his eyes travelled down my body slowly. His eyes narrowed as if if he tried hard enough he'd be able to see through the material. He moved the quill away from his face and ran the tip of it over the bottom of his jaw his head tilting further as he looked at me, his tongue now running over his teeth.  
  
I looked away from him not being able to handle his prying eyes and looked at Neniel trying to catch up on what she was talking about but I couldn't help but flicker my gaze back on the king who still stared at me.  
  
A shiver ran down my spine. He was so hauntingly beautiful and seductive with every move that he made. So beautiful and frightening. Why did I always have to feel so helpless and defenceless around him? It was like every time we were in the same room I was having this silent battle with him and I always seemed to be losing to his potency. Always.  
  
" Excuse me Neniel." He said still staring at me, causing me to pull away from my thoughts and look at him, mainly because it was the first time I had heard him speak that day. I loved his voice. " Could I have a word with you Arielle? Alone." he asked me his deep eyes staring directly into mine.  
  
Neniel stopped talking and looked at me questioningly, as did the other elves.  
  
I nodded and followed the king down another hall. He opened a door for me and I walked inside.  
  
This office didn't look the same as the other one I had been in. He obviously had numerous offices in different locations of the palace for convenience.  
  
I heard the door close and he walked past me towards the front of the table where he half leaned and half sat.  
  
I watched him as he massaged his neck with his hand while tilting his head back and rolling it in circular motions over his shoulders, his eyes closed and a small, soft groan escaping from his lips.  
  
I found myself staring at him, unable to take my eyes off him. Why was every move that he made so seductive? He could not possibly be wholly an elf. Surely he must've been part Maiar or Valar. No normal man could be so perfect and seductive yet intimidating, terrifying at the same time.  
  
I broke out of my trance when I realised that he was staring at me with an amused look on his face.  
  
" You can come closer you know." He said his cocking his head again as he looked down my body, his voice so smooth and liquidly like fluid silk. " I promise won't bight.hard."  
  
I walked towards him carefully making sure that I was at least a metre away from him.  
  
" What is it you wanted to talk to me about sire?" I asked him.  
  
" I was wondering if perhaps you may have some clue as to where your friend is." He said turning the feather in his head.  
  
" No." I answered him.  
  
The king was silent just staring at me.  
  
" Why?" I asked him.  
  
" Our search would be much easier if you knew. The forest is very big and he could be anywhere. There's also the chance that he could be dead. You know from first hand experience that the spiders are of barbaric nature. They do not come across people all the time and will not hesitate to devour whatever they find. They may be vacuous to some extent but are off great strength which they use to their advantage." He said calmly.  
  
I frowned. Was he telling me that there was a chance that Kellin was dead? And why was his voice always so calm, sleek and superior!!! " But there is a chance that he is alive right?" I asked worried.  
  
" There is but I would not count on it. The longer he is lost the higher the chances are that he is dead. I will make sure though that my men continue looking for him." He said.  
  
Well that was a very straightforward answer.  
  
I looked around me trying to block out the gored images of my friend that ran through my head.  
  
" Do not worry yourself Arielle. I assure you that at this moment he is alright. I can sense it." He said reassuringly.  
  
I sighed still feeling slightly uneasy.  
  
" Perhaps you should join me for dinner tonight." He said.  
  
At once my thoughts strayed from Kellin and I looked up at the king. Alarms ran off in my head.  
  
" Sire I."  
  
" We can discuss matters of your friend then." He cut in.  
  
I sighed. He knew I'd do anything when it came to Kellin.  
  
" Alright." I said finally.  
  
" Perfect." He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked at me with those dark eyes.  
  
He stood up and made his way to the door opening it for me again and I walked out feeling his hand on the small of my back as he guided me back out into the main hall.  
  
Everyone was talking again but they all quietened when I came out with the king, close behind me.  
  
I walked up to Neniel and smiled casually at her as the king walked in front of her.  
  
" I am sorry Lady Neniel but we must get going. I have a lot of work to attend to." He said apologetically, kissing Neniel's hand.  
  
He looked at me and kissed my hand as well, holding it longer than necessarily afterwards, before walking off with the other elves following after him.  
  
" What was that all about?" Neniel asked when they were out of site.  
  
" What was what all about?" I asked as I started to walk with Neniel following me.  
  
" All of that with the king." She said her eyes wide open.  
  
" Nothing happened." I said casually trying to breathe normally, which was hard because my thoughts kept on running over to tonight.  
  
" Why did he want to see you alone?" she asked.  
  
" To talk about Kellin." I said simply.  
  
" Was that it?"  
  
" Yes."  
  
" Did you see the way he was looking at you? And he was touching you when you came out."  
  
" You are hallucinating Neniel."  
  
" I think his majesty fancies you Arielle."  
  
I looked at her incredulously when she said that.  
  
" Neniel you speak like a drunk. The king does not fancy me and that is it." I said before walking off on her.  
  
As I walked back to my room I could hear her voice swimming in my head.  
  
The king doesn't fancy me I assured myself. He couldn't. I was simply Arielle.  
  
A gut feeling formed in my stomach as I remembered him kissing me. His silky seductive voice came into my head.  
  
I ignored it.  
  
I denied anything that had happened with the king. He wasn't attracted to me and I was not attracted to him, despite his seductiveness.  
  
I opened the door to my chamber and sighed closing it and leaning against it.  
  
I knew there was no point in trying to deny it. Neniel was right and it scared me.  
  
The king did fancy me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Taking a deep breath I tried to control my heartbeat that was beating up to twice its normal pace.  
  
I nervously ran my hands over the soft lilac chiffon material of my dress and straightened up the white jewel that hung from my necklace. My hands then strayed up to my hair fixing up the amethyst jewels that held my hair up.  
  
Why did I feel so nervous with him? I was only having dinner with him.alone.in the same room as him.alone.. with no way out. I should have no reason to be nervous.  
  
It was only a meal with this terrifying, seductive, beautiful man who could possibly have feelings for me, and had control over the fate of my best friend and myself.  
  
I looked across the long table towards the head. The king was seated there eating his dinner quietly. Even though I was hungry a few hours ago my appetite had disappeared suddenly.  
  
He wore garments of velvet that were a dark blue and wore a crown of silver on his head. He always looked so beautiful no matter what he wore or how his hair was set out.  
  
He lifted up his empty glass and a servant came and refilled it for him.  
  
I stared at the glass as it got refilled incredulously. It amazed me on how much he could drink and still not show any trace of being intoxicated. He had already drunk a few glasses and I was still on my first.  
  
" Sire you said that you would not count on the fact that Kellin may be alive. What exactly did you mean by that?" I asked looking at him.  
  
" I do not mean to be harsh with you Arielle but unless your friend his a good warrior I doubt he would stay alive much longer. You yourself is lucky for getting away." The king replied.  
  
" But he is a good warrior." I said hopefully.  
  
" Then perhaps he will be able to stay alive until we find him. But do not get your hopes up. I'm not trying to hurt you. I just think that you should not be given false hope." The king answered.  
  
I nodded and looked down at my plate.  
  
" So tell me how it was that you got lost? You say you were travelling to Rivendell. If so then how did you make your way to Mirkwood when we're on the east side of the Anduin and Lothlorien and Rivendell are on the left." he asked looking at me.  
  
I paused. That was a good question. He probably thought that we were completely brainless for getting ourselves lost.  
  
" We were travelling to Rivendell and Kellin said that it would be easier if we'd cross the Anduin in order to avoid the marshes at the Gladden River. We were supposed to travel north on the east side of the river until we got to Old Ford. We'd cross back again and go through the High Pass to Rivendell. So I followed him." I said.  
  
" That still does not explain how you made your way into my woods." He said taking a sip of his wine.  
  
" It was raining and we went under the trees for shade. We then decided to travel under the shade of the trees but kept on wandering further east instead of staying near the shore. Then we got lost." I said eating some of my food.  
  
" Was he with you when you were found by the border guards?" he asked me.  
  
" No. He said he was going to find a way out and left me. He never came back." I said remembering.  
  
" So he left you alone, unarmed without any knowledge of where you were or what roamed the forests to fend for yourself?" The king asked me.  
  
I looked at him. He made Kellin sound so bad but all that he said was true.  
  
" Yes." I answered slowly wondering what the king was thinking.  
  
" And now you want me to send out my guards, risking their lives to find him?" he asked me again.  
  
" Yes." I answered him again frowning.  
  
" You do realise that there is a chance that he could already have found his way to Rivendell without you."  
  
" No. Kellin would never leave me." I said trying to defend Kellin.  
  
" Did he not leave you before?" the king asked me.  
  
I paused. Why was he questioning me again? And why was he being so inquisitive and negative towards Kellin?  
  
" He did it in order to help us get out-"  
  
" But he still left you." the king cut in.  
  
" Sire if you do not wish to assist me in finding my friend you do not have to. I will go and search for him myself." I said quietly slightly angry at how he regarded Kellin.  
  
" Do you seriously think that I am going to go out there yourself?" he asked as if the idea was absurd. " Milady I am not as foolish as your friend to let you stray so freely into danger when I know what loiters in the woods."  
  
" He did not know that-"  
  
" What fool would not know that there is evil in these woods? Why do you think this place is now called Mirkwood instead of Greenwood?" The king cut in again.  
  
I looked down at my plate. Why was he being so hard on Kellin? If he weren't the king I would've probably already shouted at him and maybe even slapped him.  
  
I hated it when people spoke badly of Kellin. Ever since I was a little girl I'd always defend Kellin even if he had in fact done something wrong.  
  
" Sire I have known this elf all of my life and I hold him close to me as a brother and I know he feels the same for me. Under no circumstances would he knowingly put my life in danger." I said heatedly.  
  
The king stared at me amused at my defensive reaction.  
  
" Forgive me milady. I am not always this inquisitive. It just amazes me just how your friend so conveniently managed to get you lost and then lose you in the middle of the woods." the king said a derisive smile.  
  
I sighed and took a long mouthful from my wineglass.  
  
" What is your last name?" the king asked me.  
  
" Clearwaters." I answered him.  
  
The king suddenly looked up at me and I noticed a trace of shock in his face. " Clearwaters?" he asked me.  
  
" Yes. Why?" I asked.  
  
" Was your father's name Aranwë?" he asked me.  
  
My eyes widened at the mention of that name. " No. Aranwë was my brother." I said shocked. " How did you know his name?" I asked.  
  
" I met him. I met him before the war." Thranduil said looking at me oddly.  
  
" Did you meet an elf name Rénaan?" I asked hopefully, wondering if he had met my father.  
  
Thranduil looked at his plate thoughtfully and I could tell he was trying to remember. " What did he look like or who's command was he under?" he asked me.  
  
" I don't know." I said softly.  
  
" Where you child when the war began?" Thranduil asked me.  
  
" No. I wasn't even born." I answered.  
  
At this the king looked up at me again shock clearly written all over his face. " What?" he asked me.  
  
" I wasn't born. I was only conceived before the war." I answered him wondering why he looked so shocked.  
  
" But then that would mean you are only a century and twenty nine years of age."  
  
I nodded at his calculations and smiled at the look of shock on his face.  
  
" I thought you would at least be a few centuries older than that even though you do not look it but then none of our kin look their age. I should have guessed. You still look incredibly innocent." He commented making me laugh.  
  
Ever since my childhood I was made fun of by everyone because of how innocent looking I was, especially Celebrian and my mother.  
  
The time passed us by without us knowing. After some while of talking with the king I started to feel a little more comfortable around him.  
  
He wasn't so bad once you got to know him, but that still did not prevent me from being frightened of him.  
  
I surreptitiously watched Thranduil as he led me towards my new chambers.  
  
I had thought before tonight that he looked beautiful normally but now I knew that that was nothing compared to how beautiful he looked when he smiled and laughed.  
  
Before now I had never seen him really smile. There were always his satisfied smirks and smug amusement looks but I had never seen him actually smile.  
  
I do not think that I have ever seen anything more beautiful than him ever in my life. Not even The Lady Galadriel or Lord Celeborn. His smile was so beautiful I couldn't even explain how he looked. And he looked even more wonderful when he smiled.  
  
" Here we are." He said smiling as we came to some double doors that were made out of oak.  
  
The doors were large and had intricate curves and swirls engraved in it. On each side of the doors there was candle stand that had five lit candles.  
  
He opened the doors and I walked in and gasped at what I saw before. This chamber was much larger than mine and more beautiful. The whole room was furnished in soft silks and transparent fabric that were either silver or blue and the furniture was of some rich auburn coloured wood.  
  
" On your right there is a door that will lead you to your own bathing room and on your left there is a lounging room where you can take your guests. There is a door in that room that leads our to another hall. Both entrances are accessible to you." He said softly behind me.  
  
I turned around and looked at him wide eyed. " This room is so beautiful." I said happily looking at him. " Thank you so much sire." I breathed.  
  
All of a sudden I saw the king's eyes brighten and he took a step towards me and picked up the stone that hung from chain.  
  
" What is this?" he asked me paying all his attention on the luminescent globule.  
  
I breathed in relief when I realised that he only wanted to see the stone. For a second I had thought that he wanted to kiss me again. " It's a moonstone." I answered him as he continued to observe it.  
  
" Valar this is beautiful." He breathed.  
  
I smiled. One weakness that he had was his love for precious stones. I had figured that myself while he was telling me of the hoards filled with different jewels he had.  
  
" I've already got it though." He said looking up at me and smiling.  
  
It was only then when I realised just how close we were. His body was merely centimetres away from my own. We were so close I could feel the warmth of his body next to mine.  
  
A shiver ran through me as he traced the chain that the jewel hung from, his fingers touching my bare skin.  
  
As if he had felt me shiver under his touch he looked at me.  
  
" You have the most beautiful eyes that I have ever seen." He whispered as his hand came up and caressed my cheek.  
  
' Oh no' I thought trying desperately to think of something to say that might prevent him from getting any closer than what he already was to me.  
  
" I love it when you look at me." He whispered.  
  
I felt his other arm come around my waist pulling my body towards him, abolishing the little space we had between us as he kissed me his hands beginning to wander freely over my body.  
  
I could feel myself getting weak as his hand snaked around my neck, his mouth sucking gently on my bottom lip.  
  
He then deepened the kiss and slipped his tongue in my mouth beginning an erotic dance.  
  
I leaned into his kiss, as much as I didn't want it I couldn't refuse. How was it that everything he did always seemed so right and so good though I knew it was wrong? It was like he had cast a spell of some sort upon me and I was a slave to his will.  
  
I could feel his other hand massaging my breasts gently making me moan in his kiss softly as I put my arms around his neck.  
  
My conscience was screaming at me telling me not to let him kiss me. I was only making things more complicated but I couldn't help myself. He was so beautiful and so irresistible.  
  
His other hand wandered around to my back and began to deftly undo the strings of my dress soon removing them without any hassle.  
  
I suddenly realised what he was trying to do when I felt his warm hands start to travel down my bare back, caressing my skin.  
  
I frantically broke away and took a step away from him staring at him wide eyed my chest heaving with a need for air. It never occurred to me that he may have wanted more than just a kiss from me.  
  
" What are you doing?" I whispered looking at him recklessly.  
  
An amused smirk crossed his lips and he pulled me by the arms roughly towards him and kissed me again harder, longer and deeper.  
  
He then broke away from me and began to back away from me towards the door a satisfied sadistic smile on his face.  
  
" *Namarie tithen wilwarin nin*" he said seductively, even mockingly, to me as he blew a kiss towards me.  
  
His eyes never left me and he looked at me tauntingly. He kissed the air and closed the door in front of him, leaving me alone in complete shock and utter horror and astonishment to deal with the pleasureful infliction he had just bestowed me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
" And I was wondering if perhaps you have a few maps that I could use?" I asked Alcolyte as I walked with casually with him down a hall.  
  
I was asking him if I could borrow a map of Arda so that I could try to figure out where Kellin could be.  
  
" Well I myself haven't got any maps of Arda but I know where you could get some." He said helpfully. " Would you like me to take you there?"  
  
" Yes please." I said gratefully.  
  
We continued to talk until we came to some doors.  
  
" This is one of the libraries." Alcolyte explained to me as he unlocked it with a key.  
  
" Why is it locked?" I asked him as he took the key out and opened the doors.  
  
I stared in shock and took a step in. There were so many books and scrolls filled with writing and knowledge in shelves that reached the great roof. I had never seen so many books in the room at the same time.  
  
" It's locked because it belongs to his majesty."  
  
The smile on my face dropped at the mention of him and I turned around. " It belongs to the king?" I asked him.  
  
" Yes."  
  
" Then I couldn't possibly use it. It is his."  
  
" Nonsense Arielle. I am sure he would not mind if you looked around. He never uses it anyway. That is why it is locked. He hates books." Alcolyte said shrugging.  
  
" I can't though." I said trying to push past him but he blocked my way out.  
  
" Arielle I assure you he would not mind." He said looking at me earnestly.  
  
" Here are the keys. I'll leave you be to look around. When you have finished please return them to me." He said before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.  
  
I turned around and looked at the library feeling a little strange. I didn't want to be here, especially knowing that it belonged to the king.  
  
I had not seen him since that night that we had dinner together, mostly because I had taken refuge in my new chambers, which was well equipped with everything, including a bookshelf filled with an assortment of fictional books that kept me occupied.  
  
Besides the fact that this library belonged to the king this library was beautiful. The shelves were arranged in a circle and in the centre of the circle were a few comfortable couches. There was a large ladder leaning on each shelf to help a person pick the books from the top of a shelf.  
  
My eyes widened happily when I saw a harp in front of one of the couches. I loved to play the harp.  
  
I walked over to it and ran my fingers over the strings hearing the beautiful music that came from it. I was tempted to sit down and just play the musical instrument but I remembered that there was a reason as to why I had come here.  
  
I could feel the excitement running through me as I walked towards the bookshelves. There were so many books of every category, fiction and non- fiction.  
  
I knelt down on the ground and picked a book off the shelf about medicine and started to flick through it.  
  
" Maps are on the other shelf."  
  
I jumped when I heard a soft voice from behind me, thinking that I was the only person here.  
  
I turned around and my eyes widened when I saw the king there.  
  
" Your majesty!" I exclaimed not expecting to see him here. " I'm sorry." I said my voice beginning to stutter as I quickly put the book back on the shelf and stood up.  
  
" I should leave." I said hurrying past him.  
  
I walked to the door and tried to open but frowned when it wouldn't. I turned the knob and pulled trying again but it was useless. It must have been locked.  
  
That was just what I needed. To be locked alone in the same room as this elf.  
  
I felt around my body, wondering where I had kept the keys, but it wasn't on me. I turned around to see if I had left it on the coach but found the king lazily leaning on one of the shelves, his arm held out towards me with the keys dangling off his index finger.  
  
I walked over to him and reached for the keys but he snatched them away from me before I could grasp them and smiled at my attempt.  
  
" Where are they?" I asked him when I saw they were no longer in his hands.  
  
" Magic." He answered.  
  
He reached forward ran his hand through my hair and withdrawed his hand from me swinging the keys around his finger by the key holder.  
  
I reached for the keys again but again he took it away from me teasingly before I could get it, laughing at my futile attempt.  
  
" What type of a map are you looking for?" he asked me.  
  
I frowned. Didn't he understand that I didn't want to be in the same room as him?  
  
" One of Arda." I answered him.  
  
" Come with me." He said.  
  
I sighed and followed him as he led me to another bookshelf.  
  
" I thought you never came here." I said as he picked up a scroll and gave it to me.  
  
" I don't. I just know where everything is." He replied.  
  
" You should be grateful that you have this many books." I said walking away from him towards the coach and sitting down.  
  
" Books do not make a good warrior nor a good king." He answered coming and sitting down next to me the keys still swinging on his finger.  
  
I ignored him and looked at the scroll locating places that I knew.  
  
He sat there silently now, the keys not swinging, and he watched me. I could feel his eyes burning into my skin.  
  
I could just see through my fallen hair him looking at me, his head cocked and his tongue licking his lips as he studied me.  
  
" Can you play the harp?" he asked me as his hand came and folded my hair behind my ear so he could see all of my face.  
  
" Yes." I answered turning the map around.  
  
" Play a song for me." He said taking the scroll out of my hands.  
  
" Sire could I please have the map back?" I asked him.  
  
I saw a small smile come across his lips. " Come and get it." He said, his voice so suave and seductive.  
  
I lunged towards him tried to get the map off him but he leant back holding the scroll out of my reach and I ended up lying down on top of him, our faces centimetres apart.  
  
" I thought you only desired the map. If you wanted something more all you had to do was ask." He said narcissistically running his finger running down my jaw, his eyebrows raised seductively.  
  
With much will power I got off him and grabbed the map off him.  
  
I hated it how he made me feel weak and small whenever he spoke and looked at me.  
  
" Play a song for me." He repeated.  
  
" I would rather not." I replied unrolling the scroll.  
  
I stopped when his hands came over mine stopping me from undoing it any further.  
  
" That wasn't a request fair one. It was an order." He said softly in my ear, his warm breath travelling down my neck, sending chills down my spine.  
  
I put the scroll down on the ground next to my foot and pulled the harp closer to me and began to play it, my fingers strumming them effortlessly.  
  
From the corner of my eye I could see him watching me intently, his eyes travelling over my body.  
  
" You are so beautiful." He whispered in my ear, his hands beginning to run through my hair.  
  
I continued to play the harp despite the fluttering feeling that was forming inside my stomach.  
  
'Oh no. Please don't kiss me. Please don't kiss me.' I thought desperately.  
  
He pushed my hair aside to my other shoulder and caressed my cheek and neck with his delicate hands.  
  
" *Vanima wilwarin nin*" he said wistfully. " *Caral revia o nin*"  
  
' He'll realise that I won't submit myself to him and eventually go away.' I assured myself as I tried to control my breathing and continued to play the harp.  
  
He kissed my temple and cheek and started to trail hot wet kisses along my jawbone. His hand tangled itself in my hair as he began to kiss and suck my neck, his flickering tongue sending sparks through my body while his other hand had somehow found its way up the skirt of my dress and was sliding up my leg.  
  
My chest was now heaving up and down and my heart was beating over twenty times its normal rate but I didn't know what to do.  
  
I wanted to stop him but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Why did he make me feel so paralysed?  
  
I felt a thousand butterflies were being confined in my stomach as I felt his hand gently massaging its way up my thigh while his mouth continued to spill searing kisses over my neck and jaw.  
  
I faltered on the harp as his hand slid further up my thigh. Too high.  
  
He looked up at me a small smile on his face. He retreated his hand from under my dress and turned my head towards him and kissed my lips passionately before returning to flourishing kisses on my neck.  
  
" *Gliri an nin*" he whispered silkily in my ear.  
  
I tried to think of a song to sing but it was almost impossible with him flickering his tongue over me.  
  
"Lathron ben ned eryn, glamor uin galan ir govannem. An uir aewath linnathar a chervess olthad nîn." I started to sing my eyes fluttering closed as he began to suck my ear lobes.  
  
"He bada min nadhras galen a parth lothen. Trevódiel orath drestennin, broniannem lennath dhuir a charnath arnediad..no.oh." I tried to sing but he made it insufferable.  
  
"A Elleth ivorcheneb, dartho, ú-aníron cuinad ereb. Avo awartho nin, annathon le chên, a mar mhilui.ai heruamin*" I moaned as he grated his teeth against my delicate elven tips.  
  
His tongue began to flicker around my ear sending shivers through my body.  
  
"Gweston le, meleth ú-thinnatha a harthad edlothiatha adwain. Avo doltho mhorn, melethril nîn." I managed to utter my eyes still closed and my hands still strumming at the harp.  
  
" *Lle aerlinn i raeg gliri vanima nin*" he said, or more groaned, softly.  
  
" What would his majesty like to hear?" I asked him, my voice trembling and my neck tilting as he continued to kiss and suck my neck.  
  
" You screaming my name as I make love to you." he hissed in my ear, sending tremors all through my body.  
  
There was no point in trying to reassure myself that he was going to go away because it was clear that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.  
  
Why did I feel so utterly lost under his touch? I could think of nothing but him. I felt so naïve and defenceless.  
  
Another moan escaped from my mouth as he continued his kissing, licking, sucking and bighting, his hands massaging my thigh again. I felt so weak with him. Everything he said and did sent tremors through me.  
  
He turned my head towards him and kissed my lips while taking my hands away from the harp. He put my arms around his neck and began to push me back on the couch so that I was lying down.  
  
" Sire-" I started as he climbed on top of me and began to kiss my collarbones and neck, his hands on top of mine, pinning me down to the coach.  
  
" Hush." His whispering voice cut in, kissing my lips passionately, his tongue coiling with mine and his hair is draping over his shoulders like a silky curtain.  
  
I could hear my mother's voice drifting into my head. Ever since I was child she had always taught me to remain chaste until I got married and so far I had done just as she had said but I highly doubted that I'd be able to keep my virginity any longer with the king who was determined to take me.  
  
I heard the doors of the library opened and I could clearly hear the light footsteps of a person come in but the king continued to kiss me.  
  
" Your majesty." Came a voice and I felt a little relief because I knew from the voice it was Alcolyte.  
  
Thranduil ignored him and came back to my lips for another searing hot kiss, his tongue erotically caressing mine.  
  
" Your majesty you are needed in your office." Alcolyte said again but the king continued to ignore him.  
  
" Your majesty you are wanted in your office right now." Alcolyte repeated his voice more firmer and ordering now.  
  
His ordering tone got the king's attention and he stopped kissing me and looked up at Alcolyte.  
  
" Cancel whatever I had arranged and leave us." Thranduil said his voice carefree before returning to me for another kiss.  
  
" Your highness there are orcs from Dol Guldur nearing our borders. I suggest that you leave Lady Arielle at this moment and go to your office where you are needed unless you wish to follow in your father's footsteps and be foolish enough to let them come and destroy us like before." Alcolyte said angrily.  
  
Thranduil's head snapped up and he looked at Alcolyte with a deathly glint in his eyes.  
  
" You had better watch your tongue Alcolyte or else you shall find that you no longer have you." He said his voice deathly low and soft.  
  
" As king your majesty you have duties to attend to and it is my job to make sure you do not go astray." Alcolyte said, a trace of anger present in his voice.  
  
" I know what my duties are Alcolyte and none of them involve taking orders from one of my subjects!" The king shouted. " Leave from my sight before I have you detained." He said his voice returning to his normal frightful calmness.  
  
The king looked back at me and started to kiss my neck.  
  
I looked helplessly at Alcolyte, pleadingly and I saw a dark look cross his face as he bowed and left giving me a look of what seemed like sympathy.  
  
I was now sitting up but that king still continued to kiss me.  
  
" Perhaps you should go." I said softly hoping he would go and leave me alone.  
  
The king looked at me and ran his fingers through my hair pushing my down on my back with his body, his head shaking as he kissed my lips fervently again. " No my little butterfly. You will not fly away from me again. I am not letting you go this time." He uttered as he kissed me again his hands massaging my breasts.  
  
My head tilted back and I frowned at my weakness as he began to suck at my neck his hands pushing my sleeves back, revealing my arms.  
  
He then suddenly stopped kissing me and sat up, anger clearly written over his face.  
  
He threw the keys to the library towards me before standing up and walking out of the library saying something that sounded like ' Bloody Alcolyte '  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I stared into the distance as I floated in the in-ground pool of my bathroom, water lapping warmly over my naked body.  
  
I was still quite flustered over the whole ordeal with the king. I was so certain that he was going to take me but then he just left.  
  
After he had left and after I had gotten over the shock I had locked up the library given the keys to a maid to give to Alcolyte and hid in my room.  
  
I was so confused and I felt so lost. I didn't know why I always let the king seduce me. It felt at times like I even wanted him to. I felt so weak around him and he was so hard to refuse with his perfect seductiveness.  
  
With a sigh I got out of the pool and wiped myself dry before putting on my robe. I walked out into the main part of my chamber and found two maids there, one laying out a dress the other arranging jewellery on the dressing table.  
  
The one who was working on the dress turned around and looked at me.  
  
" Milady quickly you must get ready. You do realise that you are very late don't you?" she said walking over to me and took off my robe and started to dress me.  
  
I stood there lazily as the maids started to dress me up like children playing with a doll.  
  
I knew I was late. That was the whole point of taking a very long relaxing in the bath. There was another party going on just for the king's entertainment. I didn't really want to go, especially after this afternoon but I had to or else it would be very rude.  
  
After a considerable amount of time I was ready and despite the numerous times the maids had said that I looked incredibly beautiful I didn't want to go. I felt very uncomfortable in this dress. Not because the fabric was irritating, because it wasn't. it was mainly because the dress was very revealing.  
  
The dress barely sat on my shoulders and revealed basically me entire chest, including some cleavage. The rest of the dress was tight fitting and the sleeves of the dress weren't actual sleeves but material that hung loose from my shoulders and joined at the elbows and wrists leaving most of my arms bare.  
  
Besides that the dress was beautiful and I could understand why all the maids were pleased with their work. The colour of the dress was indescribable because it was so intermittent. It could be described as the colour of the sunset but it was neither red, orange or yellow but more of a pink blended in with all of those colours. The material itself seemed to be made of thousands of diamonds sewed together and it glittered in the light.  
  
My hair was done up in half a pony's tail and the half that was tied up was done in a bun. There were decorative jewels and slides that kept my hair up, their colours matching my dress, just like the mithril chain I wore with pinkish diamonds.  
  
I walked alone down the corridors towards the main hall where the celebrations were being held. I could already hear the elves singing and laughing. These elves loved merry-making and they loved drinking, just like Thranduil.  
  
Lothlorien was mainly a quiet place and I wasn't too accustomed to all of this feasting. Especially when I was constantly thinking of Kellin or trying to avoid the king.  
  
I entered the room and was immediately greeted by Neniel who came and hugged me before dragging me towards a table and giving me a drink. By the way she was laughing I think she had already drunk a fair bit of wine.  
  
I looked around as I stood with a group of elves. The musicians were playing beautiful music and there were people dancing, drinking, laughing and talking all around the hall.  
  
I saw Galdorilin laughing with a lady on his arm in a group of elves. He saw him looking at him and he smiled at me, waving.  
  
I smiled back at him and waved. He seemed to have been having a good time.  
  
I looked amongst the crowd that he was standing in to see if maybe the king was there and sure enough he was and once again I was blown away by his appearance.  
  
As always he looked stunning except I had never before seen him looking so beautiful. He wore white attire and had silver embroidery weaving it's way in delicate patterns over the white. His robe was of silver as well and he wore a silver crown that careened its way in swirls around his head. Light seeped from his slim, muscly build and for a moment it seemed that he was more radiant than Lady Galadriel herself.  
  
As if he had felt my gaze he turned his head towards me and I found myself breathless as he stared at me with his beautiful, dark, mysterious eyes. He lifted the wineglass to his lips and sipped it slowly, even seductively as he peered over it at me, his gaze unwavering. He brought the glass down and licked his lips, his every move enchanting me. He lifted up his hand and beckoned me to come to him with his index finger.  
  
I felt as if I were under a spell and if Neniel's laughter hadn't been so loud I would've most probably gone over to him.  
  
Instead I turned around to see what was so funny and didn't look back at the king knowing that if I did look at him again I'd fall under his trance again.  
  
I slowly sipped at my wine and listened in on Neniel's friend's conversation. I could feel his eyes burning into my soul like spilt acid eating away at wood or molten lava corroding away at metal.  
  
I turned around as I felt someone tap my shoulder and smiled when I saw Alcolyte standing there in rich red garments.  
  
" Come with me for a walk?" he asked and I nodded taking his offered arm.  
  
" Did you find the map you wanted?" he asked me and I nodded.  
  
" He didn't..?" Alcolyte asked looking at me.  
  
" No he didn't." I said I reply. " Thank you for coming in when you did though."  
  
" No problem." Alcolyte said smiling. " You probably do not want anything to do with the king now do you?"  
  
" Well after Kellin is found I plan to leave and not come back."  
  
" Please don't think bad of Thranduil." Alcolyte said as she stopped walking and let me go looking at me seriously. " He really is a good king. He is the best king we have had yet. He's just young and gets carried away."  
  
I looked at Alcolyte. Was he actually asking me to give myself to Thranduil?  
  
" No I'm not." He said answering the question that was running in my head. " I am just telling you not to get angry with him. He has been king for a while and it must be hard for him to do his job on his own and not share his burden with someone. He is only a man in the end. He does get lonely like the rest of us though he is too proud to admit it."  
  
" I know what you mean Alcolyte but that does not give him a right to go and just ravish anyone he wishes." I said.  
  
" Perhaps he misread the look in your eyes." Alcolyte said.  
  
" What do you mean by that?" I asked frowning.  
  
" Was he not the gentleman you were searching so frantically at the masquerade?" He asked me.  
  
" Yes but I did not know it was him." I said trying to defend myself.  
  
" And why is it that you continuously stare at him?"  
  
" I do not stare at him. And even I do I cannot help it. He stares at me." I said.  
  
" Just know that he won't do anything to you if you tell him not to." Alcolyte said before walking away.  
  
I stood there and watched Alcolyte walk away. I was speechless. He made the king look so small. I suddenly felt really sympathetic towards him. Maybe his snideness and smoothness was just a mask of who he really was.  
  
I looked at the king and found him laughing with everyone else, with a woman on each arm, both of them treating him like a god, lavishing him with attention and kisses. Just looking at him you wouldn't think of him to be as what Alcolyte said.  
  
I walked back to Neniel and I stayed with her and her friends for rest of the night, soon forgetting about the king.  
  
Soon I became bored with nothing to really keep amused. I excused myself and started towards the door.  
  
I walked out of the hall and into the passages, grateful that I could finally get some rest.  
  
" Isn't it a bit too late for you to go wandering around by yourself?"  
  
I jumped at the voice, knowing exactly who it belonged to by the calm, smooth, velvety tone.  
  
I turned around and found the king leaning indolently on one of the pillars I had just passed looking at me amused at how easily I was scared.  
  
" What are you doing here?" I asked him, looking around me to find that we were the only ones out here.  
  
" What are you doing here?" he asked me his eyebrows raised as he stood up straight and walked around in front of me.  
  
" I'm going to my room." I answered him.  
  
" I wouldn't be too sure about that." He said me as one of his eyebrows arched superiorly.  
  
I stared at him for a second. Any sympathy that I had felt before him was now gone. He wasn't the poor little angel Alcolyte had made him out to be. He was anything but an angel.  
  
I stepped aside and tried to continue walking but he moved as well and blocked me causing me to bump into him. I moved back and tried to go around him again but he did the same thing, a smug smile forming over his lips.  
  
He continued to play this game with me, much to my annoyance. I looked up at him with a frown.  
  
" Excuse me." I said annoyed.  
  
" What have you done wrong?" he asked me as he cocked his head.  
  
" Could you please move out of my way?" I asked becoming more agitated with his teasing.  
  
" But you are in my way." He said smiling with the satisfaction of knowing that I was getting annoyed. " I want to go that way." He said walking forwards, causing me to start walking backwards so that I would not hit him.  
  
I looked up at him puzzled as he held my wrists so I could not get away from him and kept walking. I kept moving backwards until at last I hit the wall and could go no further.  
  
I tried to now walk around him again but he put his hands on the wall around me blocking me from going anywhere.  
  
" I've been watching you all night." He said softly his face inches from mine. " How come you did not come to me when I called?" he asked folding some hair behind my pointed elven ears.  
  
" Please sire. I am tired." I said trying to avoid his eyes.  
  
" Why so eager to leave my beautiful jewel?" he asked running his finger down my jaw, making me shiver. " Won't you stay with me?"  
  
Once again I was beginning to feel weak.  
  
He tilted my head up and kissed my lips passionately and I couldn't suppress myself as my hands slipped around his neck.  
  
I didn't know what was wrong with me. My mind was always wanting me to get away from him but whenever he touched my body automatically yielded.  
  
I could taste the sweet wine taste coming from his mouth. He pressed his body on top of mine, crushing my body against the walls. One of his hands were tangled in my hair and the other wandered the side of my body.  
  
He released my lips but didn't move away from me, resting his forehead against mine.  
  
" Is that a yes?" he asked, his hand caressing my cheek.  
  
" No." I said breathlessly looking directly into his dark eyes.  
  
He kissed me again more passionately than before if that was possible.  
  
" How about now?" he asked pulling away again.  
  
" No." I answered him again wishing that he would kiss me again.  
  
" Then dance with me." He said softly, his soft, wet lips brushing against mine as he spoke. " I promise you that you can go to sleep afterwards. I just want one dance." He said.  
  
" One." I said agreeing and he stepped away from me.  
  
As soon as he stepped away I felt the cold air fleeting to my body.  
  
He held my hand and led me back into the room, where the other elves were still celebrating. He brought me to the centre of the room and I put my other hand on his shoulder as he put his arm around my waist. His arm pulled my body close to him so that there was no space between us.  
  
" You look beautiful tonight." He whispered in my ear as we began to dance slowly.  
  
I looked over his shoulder and saw Neniel staring at me wide eyed. Alcolyte and Galdorilin who were both standing together were also looking at me as we danced.  
  
The song ended but another one soon followed and I knew this one. Kellin would sing it all the time, saying it was for the woman of his dreams.  
  
The king was saying something, his lips brushing against my ears and I wondered what he was saying but then I realised he was singing to the music. He was singing to me.  
  
A shiver ran down my spine as his beautiful melodious voice filled my ears, and I knew that every word he sang he meant.  
  
"Gliri an nin, O hiril ned calad. Govadnin nuin elenath Varda. Tolan nin haust. I daw ú-thinnatha, Ir nin garle ned nin ranc. Karnela' nin, Di i calad ned i ithil Avo awartho nin, Melui hiril nin. Thon darthan le an Pân ned uir" he sang softly his voice flowing like sweet honey.  
  
I never knew that he could sing so well. I never imagined him to be the singing type.  
  
The song stopped and we stopped dancing but he did not let me go. He stared into my eyes his hands caressing my cheek and I knew he was going to kiss me again.  
  
I quickly stepped away from him before he could do anything.  
  
" Arielle?" said a voice behind me.  
  
I turned around and smiled when I saw Neniel.  
  
" What's going on." She said in an undertone jerking her head towards the king who was being spoken to by Alcolyte and Galdorilin.  
  
" I don't know." I told her truthfully. " He only asked me dance with him."  
  
" Good evening lady Arielle." Said a voice and I turned to find Galdorilin smiling at me.  
  
" I thought you were going to your room." Neniel said interrupting Galdorilin.  
  
" I am." I said to her.  
  
" I'll escort you." said the king who came up behind Galdorilin.  
  
" That isn't necessary sire." I said quickly.  
  
" No please. It would be my pleasure." He said in his silky voice.  
  
I saw Alcolyte pass Galdorilin a look and Galdorilin returning the look to him.  
  
I forced a smile at Neniel and walked with the king out of the hall as he led me towards my chambers.  
  
" Sire you don't have to do this." I said quietly.  
  
" I don't have to but I want to." He replied.  
  
I looked around myself as we walked and I realised that where he was leading me wasn't the way that I cam from my room.  
  
" Where are we going? This isn't the way to my chamber." I said getting slightly worried as to where he was leading me.  
  
" I know. We're going another way. This way is more easy." He said looking at me reassuringly.  
  
I nodded and continued to walk fixing up the sleeves of my dress. That was one disadvantage of this wonderful dress. Even though it was beautiful and comfortable I had to constantly fix up the sleeves so that they at least covered parts of my arms.  
  
We came to the double doors and he opened them for me. I walked into the room but stopped as I looked at it.  
  
This chamber didn't look anything like my own. The four-posted bed that was on a type of dais was much larger and was furnished with silky materials of white and gold. There were transparent white curtains around the bed that were held to the posts by gold sashes.  
  
The whole entire room was white and gold, unlike mine that was silver and blue. On the right hand side of the room there was a white door and next to it's entrance there was a small table with a vase filled with white lilies. In the left hand side of the room there was a settee that was white adorned with golden tassels and white and gold cushions. Next to it was a small stool that had a bowl of fruit.  
  
There were a few candles here and there illuminating the whole entire room and casting shadows upon the walls.  
  
" Sire this isn't my room." I said turning around.  
  
" I know it isn't." he said looking at me. His hands were behind his back as he held the handles of the door, closing them shut with a low thud. " This is my room."  
  
A feeling of dread swept over me. I knew what he wanted. The same thing that he had tried to obtain from me earlier on today.  
  
My breathing quickened as I watched him walk towards me slowly, the feeling of butterflies fluttering filled by stomach.  
  
" You said you would let me go." I said my voice trembling.  
  
" I said I'd let you go to sleep. And you can sleep.with me." He said softly as I took a step back away from him.  
  
How could I have been so blind as to walk into his trap? He had planned all of this out. Everything. He most probably even told Alcolyte to make me fell sympathetic towards him so that I'd lose my guard.  
  
" I thought that perhaps we could finish of what was started." He said his voice atrociously soft and gentle as he ran his finger down my jaw, neck, between my breasts and stopping at my abdomen where he put his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him, covering my lips with his own.  
  
Once again my mother's voice ran through my mind. I could feel my mind screaming in his grasp but my body succumbing to his potency as I wrapped my arms around his neck.  
  
He released my lips and started to shower my jaw and neck with burning wet kisses. His hands undoing the chain I wore and throwing it on the floor giving him more access to my bare skin.  
  
" I cannot." I said weakly trying to gain control of my yielding body.  
  
" You fight a losing battle with yourself fair one." He said huskily as he returned to my lips for another searing kiss.  
  
" We are not wed nor are we even in love." I said pulling away from him.  
  
" That composes no predicament." He said as he kissed down my neck towards my collarbones, alternating between licking and sucking.  
  
" You would break the laws of the Eldar?" I uttered as my head tilted back, allowing him full access.  
  
" I would break them all over your body." He answered, his lips releasing torturing pleasure all over my skin, his hand probing my body.  
  
" You know this is wrong." I whispered as my fingers dug into his shoulder and neck as he traced my collarbones with his flickering tongue. " You know this is illicit. This is so sinful."  
  
He kissed my lips hungrily and passionately his hands slipping the sleeves of my dress off my shoulders. There went a whole night's worth of trying to keep them in place on my arms.  
  
" The Ainur created sin so that we may be shown their mercy." He whispered heavily.  
  
I tried to object but he took advantage of my open mouth and kissed me again, slipping his tongue into my mouth.  
  
He was right. I was fighting a losing battle with myself.  
  
I could hear my own voice groaning at the delight he inflicted inside my mouth. My hands got lost amongst his hair as I ran my fingers through the sleek silken strands.  
  
" *Nin mernlle.*" he whispered huskily as he ran his fingers through my hair, his lips grazing mine as he spoke before we sank into another long, passionate kiss.  
  
His hands reached up to my hair and pulled out the slides and clips that held it up gently, throwing it on the floor and running his fingers between my golden locks.  
  
" *Nin irma lle. Nin fauk ten' lle *" he whispered again his hand travelling in sweet caresses down my neck and over my shoulders where he removed the sleeves of my dress completely off my arms.  
  
He kissed me again as one of his hands started to push the dress further down.  
  
Shaking my head I broke away from him. I still had some form of restraint remaining in me.  
  
" Sire please." I whispered tears forming in my eyes my chest heaving madly.  
  
I was so afraid as to what he was going to do to me. I had never been this intimate with anyone ever before and it was merely kissing.  
  
" *N' lollie tuulo' nin vanimaer. Im sintlle irma nin vee'sai vee' im lle*" he uttered breathlessly tearing the strings off my dress.  
  
" No," I whispered shaking my head.  
  
He tangled his hands in my hair and gave me another fervent kiss. I could feel his tongue moving erotically in my mouth, our tongues coiling together.  
  
Heat emanated from his body as he kissed my shoulder pulling my dress further down.  
  
" Please don't hurt me." I whispered tears travelling down my cheeks.  
  
" Shhh." He whispered covering my mouth with one of his fingers as he looked at me gently. " I would never hurt you." He whispered as he started to kiss away the tears that dribbled down my cheeks.  
  
For some reason I couldn't believe him mainly because of the glint that was in his eyes as he looked down at my body but there was some assurance in his voice.  
  
" *Karnela' nin*" he uttered as he kissed my lips passionately.  
  
I groaned as he sucked on my ear lobes, his tongue flickering madly.  
  
" This is sinful." I breathed as my eyes fluttered closed.  
  
" It is not sinful to feel pleasure." He whispered silkily to me. " Forget about any morality tonight fair one. Think not of the world outside. It's only you and me now. Let us pretend that we have no tomorrow." He said brushing the hair out of my face and looking me straight in the eye, his breathing as erotic as mine. " Love me. Love me like you have loved no other." He uttered fervently his hands tangling themselves in my hair.  
  
I lost all control of myself and a feeling of insanity came over me as he kissed my lips.  
  
With shaking hands I blindly searched his chest and undid the clasps that kept his shirt together. Within a matter of seconds he topless in front of me and undoing my dress. I kissed his neck and made my way down to his chest, my hands feeling his abdomen and back. His skin was so taut and smooth over his muscles.  
  
He pushed my dress down and it fell to the floor around my ankles and I was left with nothing but myself before him.  
  
He kissed my lips, his hands tangled in my hair, and he pulled away and looked down at my body.  
  
He kissed my lips again this time more hungrily, pulling my naked body closer to his, our tongues coiling together lividly.  
  
" You are so beautiful." He uttered looking at me eccentrically. " So beautiful. So perfect."  
  
He kissed my lips again quickly before kissing his way down towards my chest.  
  
A moan escaped my lips and my back arched in pleasure as he took my left breast into his mouth and started to tease it with his tongue and teeth before sucking on it. My arms snaked around his neck and my fingers got lost amongst his silky sleek hair.  
  
He kissed my lips again and I felt his arms around my waist as he lifted me off the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist, our tongues clashing together violently.  
  
He laid me down on his bed, the feeling of the cool silk soft against my bare skin, and he climbed on top of me, kissing whatever part of my body he could.  
  
Again he started to lavish my other breast with attention and I found myself groaning with the pleasure he imposed onto me.  
  
He kissed his way back up my neck and met my lips for another incessant kiss. My arms wrapped around him, my body enjoying the feeling of having him so close to me.  
  
I could feel his hands wander down my body and my body jolted as he stroked the sensitive part of my body between my legs. Ticklish shivers ran through my body as his fingers continued to stroke and caress at me his lips unceasingly spilling kisses over my face neck and chest.  
  
Waves of pleasure spread through me and my breathing quickened, moans spilling from my mouth.  
  
He was obviously very experienced. He knew exactly what to do and where to touch me.  
  
" Tell me you like it." He whispered into my ear seductively.  
  
I couldn't say anything; I couldn't even breathe properly, more like panting, as sweat started to form on my smooth skin.  
  
I knew that the king possessed some kind of magic, which he used to guard his palace but what he was performing on me was far beyond that.  
  
Soon I found I couldn't handle the pleasure he was handing me. I felt like I was going crazy as more waves of rapturousness crashed over me, taking me under.  
  
My moans became frequent and I was now clutching desperately at the bed sheets, crushing them within my grasps, my back arched towards him blissfully.  
  
Suddenly the feeling of utter paralysation overcame me before the feeling of a thousand fleeting fireworks seemed to go off deep within me, causing me to cry out in sheer ecstasy.  
  
He took his hand away and kissed me fervently as both of our hands went down to his leggings, which within seconds were lying, on the floor of his bedchamber.  
  
" Are you a virgin?" he asked me as he straddled me, using his knees to open my legs far apart.  
  
I nodded and frowned when a sudden demonic glint appeared in his eyes as a lecherous smile came across his lips.  
  
" Don't scream." He said looking down at me, a malevolent smile spreading across, his lips as his hair draped over his shoulders like a silk curtain.  
  
I was going to ask him why but my thoughts were soon forgotten with the action he did next. An unsustainable scream came from my mouth as he entered me with a low pleasureful moan of his own.  
  
He retracted and dove in again causing me to scream out again. I felt as if my body was being torn apart and pain filled my entire being.  
  
" What are you doing to me." I shrieked as tears began to form in eyes.  
  
" The worst has past my beautiful." He said comfortingly kissing my lips and thrusting in again painfully, my scream was not heard this time.  
  
He continued this action, despite my pleas for him to stop, and soon enough the pain numbed away and soon became pleasurable.  
  
Now I understood why all my other friends didn't wait until they got married as well. The feeling that I felt was beyond words. It was better than anything else I had ever felt.  
  
" Ai Thranduil!" I cried, not realising I had used his first name, as he drove into me again his moans of pleasure filling my ears.  
  
His thrusts became harder and faster, his moans became louder and his kisses never ceased.  
  
My hips began to levitate to meet him, unintentionally. He gave out a moan when I did this so I continued to making him moan even more. I didn't know what I was doing but he liked it.  
  
My fingers dug into his sweat-slicked back and I kissed his neck and shoulders.  
  
" Arielle!!" he moaned as he propelled himself into me repeatedly.  
  
He kissed my lips, his tongue jabbing in and out of my mouth in imitation of what he was doing with other parts of my body.  
  
Not being able to abstain no longer the pleasure that satiated him, he reached the pinnacle of pleasure and both of our bodies convulsed into a maelstrom of utter ecstasy.  
  
I threw my head back screaming his name as I felt the same feeling I had felt before except a million times more greater. I could hear him panting my name repeatedly as he felt the violent tremors of my body, pouring himself into me.  
  
I lay in a sweaty, panting heap, my body tangled with his and my legs shaking madly, on his bed. It felt like the world around me was spinning and the only thing that seemed real to me was Thranduil and myself as I panted uncontrollably, my chest rising and falling with every gulp of air. I could hear him uttering complete nonsense into my ears as he continued to kiss my neck and cheek while resting himself next to me.  
  
With exhaustion finally taking over me I closed my eyes and fell asleep in my king's arms to the sound of his soft cooing and the feel of his lips kissing me.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~Translations~*~  
  
Namarie tithen wilwarin nin ~ Farewell my little butterfly.  
  
Vanima wilwarin nin~ My beautiful butterfly  
  
Caral revia o nin ~ Do not fly from me.  
  
Gliri an nin~ Sing to me  
  
Ai heruamin~ Ah my lord.  
  
Lle aerlinn i raeg gliri vanima nin~ You sing the wrong song my beautiful  
  
Nin mernlle~ I want you  
  
Nin irma lle. Nin fauk ten' lle~ I desire you. I thirst for you.  
  
N' lollie tuulo' nin vanimaer. Im sintlle irma nin vee'sai vee' im lle~ Do not deny yourself from my fair one. I know you desire me as much as I you.  
  
Karnela' nin~ Make love to me  
  
Translation for the first song:  
  
I hear someone in the woods, an echo of the day we met. Forever birds will sing for the lady of my dreams: she walks between green pasture and flowery field. Having traversed troubled days, we endured dark journeys and countless wounds. O Elfin maid with crystal eyes, wait, I won't live alone. Don't forsake me, I'll give thee a child, and a friendly home. I swear thee, love won't fade and hope will blossom anew. Don't summon the night, my love.   
  
Translation for the second song:  
  
Sing to me O Lady of light Meet me under the stars of Varda Come to my bed The night won't fade When I have thee in my arms Make love to me Beneath the light of the moon. Do not forsake me My lovely lady I'll wait for thee for all of eternity  
  
The 2nd I made up myself 1st song I got from http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/language2.htm  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
lol. So maybe I lied. A lot of stuff happened this chapter. Sorry if it all was a bit too smutty for you people.  
  
Anywho she said that if anyone likes Maeglin she's got a story about him, one chaptered, and while we're at it if anyone likes Legolas I've got two fics about him, one completed one isn't. I'm hoping to do a sequel for the completed one because everyone keeps on asking me.  
  
Well that's basically it. Thankyou and don't forget to review!  
  
~Elithien Silverfrost.~ 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer~ I don't own anything but the things you can't find in a book.  
  
Once again I wrote this chap again without Arithwen. Sorry I had writer's block plus my comp breaking down. Some virus. Lost everything and had to start again after I got it fixed. Please R/R ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A sound that sounded like something between a scream and a groan emitted from my mouth, my fingers digging into his sweat- slicked back and shoulder blades, as my head flung back against the soft cushions and my body arched up towards him as the familiar feeling of mind-blowing pleasure engulfed my whole entire body.  
  
Panting madly like dog and with my whole sweaty body trembling uncontrollably I rested myself against the soft furnished cushions of the settee, trying to rid myself of the dizzy feeling inside of my head.  
  
"That was.wonderful." Thranduil uttered blissfully with a small smile of satisfaction on his face as he kissed my forehead and lips.  
  
I inwardly smiled at his response as my legs automatically opened making a room from as he laid himself on top of me because of the lack of space on the settee, his breathing intense.  
  
"What was the real reason that you called me to your office?" I asked him my voice whispery from trying to still breathe properly as I ran my fingers through his silky hair.  
  
"This was the real reason." He said giving me yet another kiss. "Get up and get dressed," he said getting off me and wearing his gold and red silk robe, "They'll be coming soon."  
  
"Who?" I asked a frown on my face as I twisted my head around to see him walking up to his desk, picking an apple from the fruit bowl on the surface of a cabinet.  
  
"My council." He said as he lounged lazily in the large chair behind the desk lifting up a piece of paper and beginning to read it as he took a bight from the apple.  
  
A small smile started to form on my lips as I saw a sour look come across the king's face as he chewed on the apple slowly. He stood up and walked over to the garbage bin before throwing the bitten apple in it and spitting what he had bitten into it.  
  
"That is repulsive." He complained as he wiped his lips with his hand and walking back to his desk, the sour look still present on his face.  
  
Now having recovered from exhaustion I got up from the settee and put on my white dress, doing up the pearly buttons at the back and tying up my hair loosely.  
  
"Have you heard anything from Kellin yet?" I asked him.  
  
"Who?" he asked me as he stretched his arm out towards me offering his hand.  
  
I frowned as I walked over to him and took his hand as he pulled me onto his lap, his eyes still scanning through the writing on a piece of paper.  
  
"Kellin. My friend." I said annoyed.  
  
"Oh yes. No I haven't received any news so far from anyone." He said, his voice sounding blank, making me wonder if he knew what he was talking about.  
  
I breathed out heavily as his vacant arm snaked around my waist and he rested his chin on my shoulder, continuing to read the piece of paper.  
  
Even though I had grown closer to the king within the last week I still wanted Kellin around. I always felt restless knowing that he was in danger.  
  
"I was supposed to read this before you." Thranduil said to me, bringing me out of my thoughts. "You really are a distraction."  
  
" Do you want me to leave?" I asked him.  
  
"Yes."  
  
I smiled and stood up. That was one thing I admired about him. He always put duty before everything else. Well almost always.  
  
" I will see you later then." I said kissing him and walking towards the door.  
  
"No don't leave." I heard him say quickly before I was able to reach for the handle.  
  
I turned to face him and smiled when I saw the fake pout on his lips. " Stay."  
  
"I thought I was a distraction for you." I said walking over to him.  
  
"Well you cannot expect me to work all my life and have no fun at all." He said making a babyish look on his face as he took my hand and pulled me towards him.  
  
A muffled moan escaped from my mouth as he pulled me on top of him, snaking his long slender fingers around my neck and locking our lips with a passionate kiss.  
  
I didn't know why I could never deny him. It was like he had some type of spell over me. I always felt powerless to do anything but what he willed when I was with him.  
  
I could feel his other hand sliding up my thigh slowly as he continued to kiss me deeply. My fingers tangled themselves in his shimmery tresses.  
  
" Ahem.. Sire?"  
  
I broke away from him and turned my head around to find five elves standing there, two of them being Alcolyte and Galdorilin.  
  
"You said that we would discuss certain matters at the arranged time." One of them continued.  
  
"Alright." The king said looking at them. "What is it that you wanted to talk about that was so important?"  
  
"Well..." the elf started but stopped when he looked at me." Sire perhaps it would be best if we discussed these things in more privacy." he said nudging his head towards me.  
  
"Do not fret over needless things Fírnnóvíon . It isn't like she's going to raise an army herself and attack us with the information of everything she'll hear." Thranduil said amused as his arms came around my waist.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Just continue talking." Thranduil cut in an annoyed look crossing his face.  
  
"Well another elf will be arriving in our realms shortly with a letter from Cirdan that had arrived in Rivendell few weeks ago, concerning both you and Elrond. The elf will be bringing it with him when he comes." The elf started looking at me displeased.  
  
I smiled at Alcolyte who smiled back at me.  
  
"You aren't doing anything tonight are you?" I heard Thranduil whisper softly, so that the other elves wouldn't hear him.  
  
"No." I whispered shaking my head slowly in response.  
  
"Maybe we can-" he started a small grin forming over his lips as his hands began to slide up my legs.  
  
"Sire are you listening?"  
  
"Yes Fírnnóvíon." He said through gritted teeth.  
  
I turned my head around and looked at the elf who was looking at me with a very sullenly look. Behind him was Alcolyte who seemed to be giggling at Fírnnóvíon's reaction.  
  
"So sire what do you suggest we do?" Fírnnóvíon asked the king with a look that he was certain that Thranduil had not a clue of what he was talking about.  
  
"Firstly alert the border guards of these orcs and trolls and then send more elves out further from the border to be there in case they do draw nearer to my kingdom than necessary." Thranduil replied with a satisfied smirk on his face.  
  
My eyebrows rose at this. I didn't expect that he knew exactly what Fírnnóvíon was talking about. Obviously he was listening.  
  
I saw a slightly sour look come across Fírnnóvíon's face at his miscalculation in thinking that Thranduil wasn't listening at all.  
  
"Is there anything more Fírnnóvíon or am I able to carry on with my life without having to stop everything for you again?" The king asked.  
  
I couldn't hold back the laugh as Fírnnóvíon's face went bright red with embarrassment and anger.  
  
"That is all your highness." Fírnnóvíon said.  
  
"Good. You can leave now." Thranduil said dismissively.  
  
Fírnnóvíon bowed and walked out of the office with the other two elves I did not know leaving Alcolyte and Galdoillin.  
  
"Sire Lady Odell sends her gratefulness for your gift and also apologises for not being able to be there." Galdorilin said.  
  
"Who's Odell?" I asked Thranduil.  
  
"No one you need to worry about." he answered smiling at my curiosity.  
  
"And Lady Arielle I have some news for you as well." Galdorilin said getting my attention.  
  
"Day before yesterday some of our scouts noticed a blonde haired man roaming around the woods. They tried to talk to him and bring him back to the main city but he ran before they could even speak to him at all."  
  
My jaw dropped at this. Could that man possibly be Kellin? It had to. Who else could it be? But why did he run from the border guards?  
  
"But where is he now?" I asked Galdorilin.  
  
"We don't know. I've ordered that they continue searching for him around that area but-"  
  
"So that means that you are going to find him right?" I cut in hopefully.  
  
I saw a troubled look come across Galdorilin's face.  
  
"Milady I am not sure about the fate of your friend." He said, "I believe that one of the elves who saw him said that he was a great deal injured and was barely able to hold himself up when they first say him but at sight of them he somehow managed to get away."  
  
I stared at him expressionlessly. His point being.? What was the fact that Kellin was injured had to do with the border guards finding him? Would it not be easy for them to track him down if he was injured? He obviously couldn't go far.  
  
"Lady the region where he was found was somewhere along the south-west of the Forest River. There are some spider nestings there. If your friend is injured then how is he to defend himself against spiders the size of a horse?" he asked me.  
  
I frowned. What was he trying to say? Was he saying that there could be chance that Kelling wouldn't be alive?  
  
"I have already had the scouts searching about that area for these two past days and all they have found is traces of blood here and there but nothing more."  
  
"So maybe they should search harder." Thranduil, from behind me said as he played with a quill in his hand.  
  
"Sire I assure you the whole southern side of the Forest River right up to the mountains has been searched." Galdorillin said earnestly. "I have even sent out more elves as you had ordered if we found any trace of him. The forest has been scoured and I have even made sure that they check up amongst the bows of the trees but they cannot find anything. An injured man who has not eaten for days cannot stray so far to deceive the eyes of over fifty trained elven border guards. There's only one more explanation for his disappearance."  
  
I could do nothing but stare at him in utter shock and horror, knowing exactly what Galdorillin's assumption was. He was trying to tell me that he thought Kellin was dead.  
  
"But, but that isn't possible.I mean he has to be somewhere.he couldn't have disappeared." I said, my voice shaking.  
  
"Milady I don't think that he has disappeared. He still is in the forest. It's whether he is alive or not that problems me." He said.  
  
"What a load of nonsense. The least you could do Galdorillin was make it sound a little bit believable." Thranduil said amusement present in his voice.  
  
I saw a frown come across Galdorillin's face.  
  
"Is that all the new for today?" Thranduil asked.  
  
"Yes your majesty. And might I remind you that you have an appointment with Lord Erester." Alcolyte said.  
  
"Alright, I'll meet you outside my office in a few minutes." Thranduil said.  
  
Alcolyte nodded, before bowing with Galdorillin and leaving me and Thranduil in the room.  
  
I felt the king's arms tighten around my waist as he pulled me closer towards him.  
  
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by Fírnnóvíon." He started and began talking but none of what he said registered into my mind. All I could think of was Kellin. What if Galdirillin was right? What if Kellin was no longer alive? What would happen to me? I didn't think it would be possible for me to live without him. I had never considered it. We had always been together and it never occurred to me that we would one day get separated. I always knew that one of us would one day get married and would have to separate then but this way was a totally different issue. I would never see him again. Ever. And it would all be my fault.  
  
"Arielle...are you listening to me?"  
  
I blinked and looked at Thranduil questioningly. What had he said?  
  
"You don't believe Galdorillin do you?" he asked me, sounding amused.  
  
I frowned. How could he possible think it funny that my friend, my best friend, my 'brother', could possibly be dead?  
  
"Of course I do." I whispered brusquely frowning at him as I stood up.  
  
"Trust me Arielle, Galdorillin is only trying to scare you. I'm sure Kelly- "  
  
"Kellin." I corrected.  
  
"Whatever his name is probably up a tree or taking shelter." Thranduil said standing up and walking past me towards a bookshelf where he shelved a book.  
  
"And how would you know? These men have seen him with his own eyes. They know he's injured. They know where abouts he should be." I said troubled.  
  
"So they do but I know that Galdorillin has a habit of greatly exaggerating minor details." He said in a mater of factly tone.  
  
I felt like ripping out my hair with frustration. How could he be so calm on such an urgent matter? Did he not care at all? I was just about ready to cry and here he was saying that it was all an exaggeration.  
  
"That doesn't mean that he may not be right." I said despondently trying my best to hold back the tears.  
  
Thranduil walked up to me and tilted my head up towards him.  
  
"Nothing has happened to him. I promise you." He said softly.  
  
I looked at him with a frown. He couldn't promise me anything. He may be a king but Kellin's life wasn't in his hands.  
  
He pressed his lips against mine and kissed me, his tongue caressing my own in what I guessed was an assuring way, though no assurance for me came out of it.  
  
He slowly pulled away, keeping his gaze ever on me. "I have to go now." He said softly folding a stray strand of hair behind my pointed ear. "If you need me then just consult one of my councillors."  
  
I nodded and watched him as he kissed me again before walking out of the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
I stood there just staring at the door. I couldn't understand him. How could he brush of such a serious matter like a harmless insect? He always seemed so calm and relaxed about everything that went on. It was like he didn't understand just how important Kellin was to me. I guess that the reason why he couldn't understand me was most probably because he couldn't understand me.  
  
He didn't understand just how much I loved Kellin and how much he meant to me. He didn't know how much a depended upon Kellin. He didn't understand how much I needed him.  
  
Even I did not know how much I needed Kellin until now. It's amazing how you don't know what you got till it's gone.  
  
I frowned at myself. What was I talking about? Kellin wasn't gone. He was still alive. He had to still be alive. He wouldn't leave me. He couldn't. Not when he knew that I needed him so much.  
  
I took a sharp intake of breathe and clutched the edge of the desk. I needed to get out of this underground palace. This place seemed so oppressive. I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was most probably because I had been living on talans for all of my life.  
  
I walked out of Thranduil's office and started to make my way down the halls towards the entrance and exit.  
  
Perhaps being outside in the fresh air would make me feel better and maybe make me feel closer to Kellin.  
  
I asked the guard if he could open the humongous doors and he did unquestioningly with a nod.  
  
A divulged sigh escaped my mouth as I felt the cool crisp wind through my hair as I stepped out of the underground palace. I hadn't come outside for such a long time.  
  
I could hear the laughter of children and looked up into the lush emerald green leafage of the trees. I could see them playing amongst the bows of the trees great branches. Kellin and I used to play up amongst the golden mallorn trees of Caras Galadhon when we were children.  
  
I walked away from the children, off the path and amongst the trees aimlessly. I knew it was childish but being outside made me feel closer to Kellin. It was almost as if I could sense him within the trees itself or like I was just dreaming and he would jump out from one of the branches and say that he was joking. I knew though that no matter how much I wished I was dreaming I would never be able to wake up.  
  
Why did it feel like Kellin was gone? I knew he still had to be out there but it seemed that I felt that he was already dead.  
  
I stopped walking and sat down against a particular tree exhaling heavily as my head rolled back against the bark. Overhead I could see the whiffy steely grey of the sky. The sun's raise was barely visible as it struggled to smuggle light through the thick blanket of cloud.  
  
The trees here were different to that of the Galadhrim. Obviously their colours were different but usually most of the trees had the same feel but these ones felt different.  
  
I didn't know why but I felt alone without him. Dozens of questions ran through my head. Where was he and why wouldn't he let himself be found? Looking up at the sky, I suddenly saw an image of Kellin down on his knees, screaming and shouting, with his arms shielding his face, flash across the sky. I blinked and looked back into the sky, in astonishment but there was nothing there.  
  
I shook my head and frowned looking back into the sky suspiciously. Perhaps I had been staring up into the sky for too long.  
  
I closed my eyes and settled back against the tree, but jumped as I heard shrill screaming and shouting and also the sound of flesh and bones being torn apart.  
  
I looked around myself and started to feel dizzy. I could see images of Kellin whizzing by me, each one as gored as the one before.  
  
What was going on? I couldn't see properly. Everything was so unfocused in my view. Horrendous noises filled my ears, making the hairs on my arm stand up as I screamed in terror.  
  
The whole world seemed to be spinning, spinning around me in blurs of blood, flesh and ear- splitting screaming. I could see the spiders tearing his body apart maliciously, feasting upon his body, his blood dripping over their fetid legs and fangs and upon the ground. I could hear his screaming loud and clear. He was screaming to the top of his lungs just as I was as I cried.  
  
I tried to reach out to help him but everything was spinning faster, faster and faster. His screaming, so loud and pleading, begging me to help him. I could hear him screaming my name, begging me to help me, pleading for mercy, as if it was I who had condemned him to death.  
  
"Kellin!" I screamed reaching out, tears running down my cheeks.  
  
There were so many images of him. Which one was I to help?  
  
His screaming became more pleading. He was pleading for mercy from me, asking me why I hadn't stayed where he had asked me to.  
  
I was screaming as I tried to get all of the spinning to stop. I wanted to help him but I couldn't. He was pleading with me, begging me to stop torturing him but what was I doing. I could never hurt him. I looked down at my hands in utter horror as I could see his blood dripping from them.  
  
"I am sorry Kellin!!" I screamed.  
  
What had I done? It was all my fault. Everything.  
  
He was screaming my name as the spiders tore apart his body. My name over and over again. Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle..Arielle.Arielle.  
  
But wait. There was another voice calling my name too. Arielle.Arielle.Arielle. It was him. Thranduil.  
  
"Thranduil!" I called out hopefully.  
  
Where was he? I couldn't see straight.  
  
"Where are you?" I shouted above Kellin's screaming and the horrific sounds of those spiders.  
  
There were more of them spiders coming, little ones, swarming over his body. They ate at his flesh too, crawling into his mouth and over his eyes as he screamed for help, choking on the blood and spiders in his mouth.  
  
"Thranduil help me. Please Thranduil he needs your help." I screamed blinking away the tears in my eyes as I looked around me for him but all I could see was Kellin.  
  
Again I could hear Thranduil, his voice far clearer than Kellin's screaming and much calmer. He was telling me that I couldn't help Kellin. That it was too late for him.  
  
I could still hear Kellin's screaming. How could I not help him? I was the cause of his agony.  
  
"I'm coming Kellin!" I screamed and I began to run towards him but I could hear Thranduil's voice in my head as well, telling me that I had to choose between either him of Kellin.  
  
I ignored Thranduil and continued to run to help Kellin but my running started to become slower and slower and the spinning became faster and faster. It began to rain and flood. I could feel the water rising up to my knees but Kellin was still screaming for my help.  
  
I was now wading through the water but tripped and fell. It was then I realised that it wasn't water I was wading in. It was blood. I screamed as I stood up again looking up at the sky.  
  
It was red, stained with the blood of my Kellin. Blood. Everywhere. Raining down on me heavily. I could see it. I could feel it. I could taste it. It was staining me. My clothes. My hair. My skin. My conscious. My soul.  
  
I was drowning, drowning in a sea of his blood and tears. I couldn't swim. The blood was rising higher and higher until it was above my head. I screamed for help but all that came were air bubbles, oozing through the thick blood towards the surface.  
  
I was drowning and all the while I could hear them. Both of them. One voice screaming and begging, the other cool sleek calm and intoxicating. Both of them calling my name repeatedly.  
  
Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arie lle..  
  
My eyes shut tightly, as I covered my ears with my hands, letting myself be carried away by the undertow of blood, as I screamed my silent scream of help, their voices ringing in my head. Arielle.  
  
Everything was spinning  
  
Arielle.  
  
I was bloodstained  
  
Arielle.  
  
I was screaming  
  
Arielle.  
  
I was crying  
  
Arielle.  
  
I was drowning  
  
Arielle....  
  
Did they hear me?  
  
Arielle.  
  
Their voices ringing,  
  
Arielle.  
  
He could save me  
  
Arielle.  
  
I had to choose though  
  
Arielle.  
  
My lover or brother?  
  
Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arielle.Arie lle..  
  
I couldn't breathe I couldn't think. All I could hear was them, both of them in my head. It was too much.  
  
"STOP IT!" I screamed.  
  
"Arielle!"  
  
I opened my eyes and screamed as I saw the anxious face of Alcolyte in front of me, shaking me by the shoulders and shouting my name.  
  
I looked around me wide-eyed. I was back in the forest of Mirkwood, leaning against the tree. The sky was dark, it was night and it was drizzling very lightly.  
  
"Kellin!" I shouted desperately pushing Alcolyte away and getting to my feet.  
  
I needed to find him. He was somewhere out there, calling me, screaming to me and it was all my fault. It was because of me that Kellin was lost. It was because of me that he could very well be dead right then. I needed to find him. I needed him with me.  
  
I could feel more tears flowing from my eyes. Where was he? He was right here in front of me before. Where was he? Where was Thranduil? I looked down at myself. I was still in my white dress, spotless, without a single stain of blood.  
  
"Kellin!" I shouted again looking around me.  
  
"Arielle calm down." Came Alcolyte's voice from behind me as he took my arm.  
  
"No he needs me...I did this to him.I have to help him.he'll die.I have to save him. Kellin I'm coming!" I stuttered urgently as I tore myself away from him, spinning around as I tried to find him.  
  
I sniffed as I began to cry, shouting Kellin's name.  
  
"He isn't here. You were dreaming." Alcolyte said grabbing my arm to stop me from wandering.  
  
"No he was here. He was screaming. I have to help him. Where is he? Where is Thranduil?" I asked Alcolyte as tears blinded me.  
  
I was so confused. Where were they? Why wasn't I drowning. I looked up at the trees and around me everywhere. There was no blood anywhere. Everything seemed normal. But everything couldn't be normal. They were here. Kellin, the spiders and Thranduil. They were all here. They couldn't just disappear. Where was the spinning? How come I couldn't hear them? What was going on?!  
  
"It's all my fault." I said shakily walking away from Alcolyte. "I need to find him. He's dying because of me. Kellin!"  
  
"Arielle," Alcolyte said taking my hand again.  
  
"No let me go! Don't you understand! He's dying because of me!" I shouted frustratedly at Alcolyte as I wrenched my arm from his grip and began to run blindly.  
  
"Arielle listen to me!" he shouted grabbing me from behind violently and turning me around so I was facing him.  
  
"Kellin!" I screamed, tears blurring my vision as I tried to get away from the elf's grasps.  
  
Without warning Alcolyte grabbed my head and held me in place. "Arielle listen to me!" he shouted, his face contorted with a frown, "You fell asleep! Kellin and Thranduil are not here. You were dreaming. They. Are. Not. Here." He said, looking at me directly in the eye.  
  
I stared at him motionless. I was dreaming? But that couldn't be possible. I didn't fall asleep. If I did I would've known. How can you just fall asleep? It was real. He was here. They were here. He was dying. Dying because of me. It was my fault. I was killing him.  
  
My mind was completely chaotic tangle. What was going on?  
  
"I need to help him Alcolyte." I cried, my voice barely audible above my blubbering. "I'm killing him. It's my fault. I need to make it right."  
  
"No Arielle. You don't have to. You were dreaming." He said softly.  
  
I shook my head disbelievingly. I was so confused. I couldn't have been dreaming. Everything had seemed so real. I could feel everything. I could hear it all. Something so realistic couldn't have been a dream.  
  
"But I-"  
  
"It wasn't real." he said soothingly.  
  
I looked at him. He seemed so caring and understanding. Maybe he was right. Maybe I had fallen asleep.  
  
"I don't understand." I whispered as a storm of tears engulfed me.  
  
Alcolyte put his arms around me and held me as I cried into his chest, whispering assurances to me. I couldn't understand anything.  
  
"It's alright." He whispered. "Come. Let us go back inside the palace. If we stay outside any longer you will be wet." He said taking my hand and leading me off.  
  
But everything seemed so real. I was sure I could've felt the blood. I could hear his screaming. I couldn't have been dreaming. Something so real and horrific couldn't be dreamt. Dreams were not so horrendous. I could still hear his voice in my head. It just had to be real. The drowning, the spinning. All so real.  
  
More tangled thoughts passed through my head as I walked down the lantern lit halls with Alcolyte, still crying from the overwhelming occurrence.  
  
He left me in my chambers and I found myself completely and utterly lost. Where was Kellin? What if he was dying? If he was it was because of me. If he was I couldn't help him.  
  
It was all my fault. If I hadn't gone then he wouldn't be wherever he was now. I was the cause of his suffering.  
  
Lost, confused, obfuscated and distraught I got into my bed, not bothering to change my lightly rain dampened dress, and quietly cried myself to sleep, filled with more dreams, although not so horrific, of my friend and foster brother Kellin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It turned out that I had fallen asleep that afternoon in the forest, meaning that everything to do with Kellin that I had thought to be real when I had woken up was not.  
  
I only realised that the morning after. All of those delusions were probably caused by the fact that I hadn't had any proper rest for days, what with the dinner parties with the Thranduil and his court plus the addition of the shock of finally hearing some kind of news from Kellin, I was obviously not in a proper state of consciousness.  
  
Almost fourteen days later and still the border guards hadn't found any trace of Kellin. After the first few days after the dream, I was beginning to wonder if perhaps I had actually witnessed his death, through some kind of magic, like that of my lady Galadriel's mirror, but Thranduil assured me that it was all in fact a dream and that Kellin was still alive.  
  
He seemed so certain that Kellin was still alive. I myself tried to be as optimistic as he appeared to be but I couldn't help but remembering that dream. The realness of it had disturbed me. I couldn't sleep without getting images of the cruorness or hearing him screaming my name for help. What disturbed me the most is the fact that all of this mess that I have gotten him into is my fault.  
  
I had always subconsciously known that it was because of me that Kellin was lost but it wasn't until that dream that I had actually admitted it to myself. Indeed if I hadn't walked away from where Kellin had told me to wait, he wouldn't be lost. He would've found a way out and come back for me. We would've been able to get to Imladris without any of this problem. He would've been safe and not lost without any adequate food or shelter. He wouldn't be fighting to stay alive.  
  
Everyday I, at least eight times, I would question either Alcolyte, Galdorillin or Fírnnóvíon whether they had found any trace of him but I always got the same answer. Nothing.  
  
I wasn't sure whether I should've been expecting the worst. Was Kellin gone? As in really gone? Was he just, as Thranduil thought, taking cover or was he dead? So many questions filled my mind that I was no longer sure what I was to think. There were so many possibilities as to where he could be and why or how he was, each of them seeming as improbable as the last.  
  
  
  
I breathed out heavily, thoughts of Kellin occupying my mind. My legs kicked gently through the warm, lucid water that reached up to my mid-calf as I sat on the edge of the rather large and deep pool.  
  
White and silvery reflections of the water played over the bathing room walls and my face, making patterns.  
  
Sighing, I bent over, putting my arms around Thranduil's shoulders and resting my head in the crook of his neck.  
  
He was inside the pool facing his back to me, floating in the space inside my legs, which tangled off the edge of the pool where I sat.  
  
My eyes fluttered closed as I felt his dripping wet hands skim up my arms.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked me as he turned his head and kissed my temple.  
  
"Nothing." I answered him looking at him in the best honest expression I could muster.  
  
"You have been very quiet lately." He said, running his fingers through my hair.  
  
Of course I was quiet. All I could think about was Kellin.  
  
He turned around towards me letting his hands wander up my legs. "*Trenarenni naegrale calen-heneb gwilwileth nin*" he said softly kissing my neck and shoulder.  
  
"*Im ú naegrana pen*" I said letting him lavish kisses upon neck and chest.  
  
I put my arms around his neck as he pulled my head down towards me and kissing me deeply.  
  
It was only when I was with him that I thought less of Kellin. Sometimes it was even like I forgot completely about Kellin when I was with Thranduil.  
  
"Come inside with me." he said pulling away from me.  
  
"No thankyou." I answered him smiling at his attempt.  
  
This was around the tenth time he had asked me to get into the pool, but like this time I had refused him.  
  
"Why not?" he asked me pouting.  
  
"I have my reasons." I said.  
  
He gave me a last pout before letting go of me and the edge of the pool and falling back into the water, splashing water all over me.  
  
I wiped the water off my face with the sleeve of my robe and watched his glistening shadow glide under the water.  
  
He was so good at swimming. He was also so good at everything else he did, something I had noticed about him within the first few days of knowing him.  
  
I supported my body on my hands and leant back, looking at the shimmery white reflections of the water play on the ceiling.  
  
I felt guilty. How could I feel this calm and unperturbed when Kellin was out there in the forest, cold hungry, injured and alone? I didn't want to feel this relaxed but I couldn't help it when I was with Thranduil. When I was with him it was like every problem was wiped away. It was just the type of person he was. He never seemed to be affected by anything, no matter how big the disaster. He was always cool, calm and in control of every situation. Not only was he like that but also the atmosphere around him. His calmness was most probably rubbing of on me.  
  
With my thoughts on Thranduil I looked back into the pool to see if I could find him but his shadow was no where in sight.  
  
I frowned. Where had he gone?  
  
I sat up straight and looked at the far end of the pool to see if he was near there but I couldn't see him.  
  
Suddenly I felt a tight grip around my ankle and screamed as I was pulled into the pool.  
  
Warm water covered me completely and all I could see was swirls of my blonde hair and white robe in front of my eyes as I was being pulled deeper and deeper into the water.  
  
I felt the grip release from my ankle.  
  
Water filled my lungs and I couldn't breathe as I silently screamed under the water. I tried to breathe but all that came to my lungs was water.  
  
I looked up and could see the lights from the lanterns above the surface. I had to get some air or else I would die.  
  
Panic-stricken over the fact I could very well drown I began to kick with my legs, propelling myself towards the surface of water. I felt like my insides were going to burst as I tried my best to keep my mouth closed but my attempts were futile.  
  
After what seemed like millenniums my head finally broke over the surface of water. I furiously began to suck air into my lungs while coughing up water that I had swallowed. My head bobbed up and down, in and out of the water, as I tried to tread water, kicking with my legs and moving my arms. The robe I wore seemed to be dragging me down, even though it was made of light elven material. It got tangled around my legs and I had to kick harder to untangle myself as my head went under the water continuously.  
  
This was exactly why didn't want to get inside the pool. I knew it was too deep for me. The end of the pool was metres away. Even when I was being pulled under my feet were nowhere near to touching the ground.  
  
I looked around me and found Thranduil, who was a few metres away, watching me. I could only see his upper half of his face because he kept the rest of his body hidden under the water. I could see his eyes gazing at me over the water and his eyebrows were raised, and I knew that he was smirking, even if I couldn't see his lips.  
  
"You know there was a reason why I didn't want to come inside." I called out to him, my voice still shaky.  
  
His eyebrows raised and I knew he was asking me what my reason was.  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that perhaps I may not be able to swim?"  
  
"You cannot swim?" he asked me disbelievingly as his whole head came out of the water.  
  
I nodded in reply.  
  
I saw a thoughtful come across his face and then he ducked his head under the water and was gone.  
  
I frowned. What was he going to do? I looked around me. I was far from the edge of the pool. How was I going to get back? I was having trouble as it was just trying to tread water, how was I to swim myself to the edge of the pool.  
  
Perhaps if I just tried I could be able to swim to the edge. I remember that Kellin said once that all you had to do was kick your legs and use your arms to draw the water away from you.  
  
I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eyes and turned my head just time to see Thranduil, swimming under the water towards me.  
  
Before I knew it again he had taken a hold of my ankle pulling me down back into the water.  
  
With my mouth shut this time, I looked down at him wide eyed. I kicked furiously trying to get him off me but he wouldn't let go.  
  
Even though I was under water I knew that I was trembling. I could feel as panic soared through me.  
  
I was running out of air that I had in my mouth, half of which I was losing through my nose and I was becoming tangled again in my robes.  
  
I tried to release his hand from around my ankle desperately pulling at his wrist with my hands. I could feel by heart beating against my chest frantically and I was sure that it would tear out of me at any moment.  
  
He had an amused smile over his lips and there was a manic look in his dark eyes, which at the moment looked darker than ever.  
  
What the hell was he trying to do to me? He knew I couldn't swim! I had just clearly told him that I couldn't swim and here he was trying to drown me and taking the whole thing like a little game.  
  
I felt him let go of my ankle and I made to somehow swim to the surface but I felt one of his hands on my knee and the other on my wrist and he dragged me down towards me.  
  
My mouth opened and all the air inside of my mouth came out in a mist of air bubbles and water again began to fill my mouth and I could feel my insides cramping with the need of oxygen.  
  
I felt completely uncoordinated. I was in a panicking mess. I was trying to save any air I had left inside of me, get to the surface of the pool and scream all at the same time.  
  
I felt Thranduil's hand come over my mouth and I panicked even more trying to get him away from me. He held my head still and looked at me and mouthed something that looked like 'don't open your mouth', but I nothing of what he had wanted to say meant anything.  
  
I was beginning to feel dizzy inside my head and I could feel my whole body trembling. I gathered any strength I had and pushed Thranduil away from me and began to kick distraughtly trying to close my mouth.  
  
I didn't care if he was a king or not, as was clearly shown in my actions by pushing him away.  
  
My head broke through the surface of the water and still distraught I began to breathe deeply and scream at the same time looking down to see if Thranduil was still there.  
  
I couldn't believe him. He knew I couldn't swim! He knew that I was trying to get away from him! He knew that I couldn't breathe yet he continued to pull me down. And he thought that everything was funny! Funny! I could have possible died and he thought it was funny.  
  
I was still fuming over Thranduil's actions that I didn't notice the dark shadow under the water that was hovering under me.  
  
My eyes widened in horror as I felt something tug at my robe. Once again I was being hauled down through the water by him.  
  
What was wrong with him? He knew I couldn't swim. Anyone could figure that I was terrified of such deep water.  
  
I irately tugged at his wrists trying to get him off me as he pulled me deeper and deeper. I looked at him pleadingly and opened my mouth to beg him, forgetting I was under the water.  
  
I quickly closed my mouth but the damage was done. I had no air in my mouth. I could feel my insides cramping together in spasms.  
  
I felt Thranduil's arms come around me and he kissed me, his lips sealing mine.  
  
I took a quick breath from him, that would be able to sustain me for at least ten seconds and broke away from him. I managed to turn around and treid to get away from him but he clutched tightly at my arm, not letting me go.  
  
That manic glint was present in his dark fathomless eyes. There was something that looked like a deranged smirk over his lips. He was beginning to scare me now. Was he really trying to kill me?  
  
He pulled me closer towards him by the collar of my robe, besides my efforts to breaj free from his clutches.  
  
He really was beginning to scare me.  
  
Again he sealed my lips with a kiss.  
  
Trying to break away from him proved useless. He had such a tight grip on me that I couldn't so much as stay put for a second as he continued to pull me further and further away from the surface and closer and closer to what I knew would mist probably be my death.  
  
Although it couldn't be seen or heard to any ears, for I was under water, I knew I was crying.  
  
I wanted so badly to get out of the water but how could I even reach the surface of the water when he was pulling me down?  
  
Why was he doing this? Could he not take a hint by my desperateness that I needed air? That I wasn't like him and that I couldn't hold my breath for as long as he?  
  
Or was he doing all of this onpurpose? Had he been waiting all of this on purpose? Had he been wanting to kill me the first time I met him in his office. Was he about to kill me but thought it would be more fun for him to take advantage over my body first and then to kill me? Had he been plotting to kill me all of this time? Had he been waiting for the perfect time where he would slaughter me? Had he planned for someone else to do it but now that I was here he thought that he might as well have finished me off? Or had he been planning to bring me here today to drown me in this very pool, using the excuse of me not being able to swim as an excuse of my death?  
  
More questions filled my head, scaring more than I needed to be.  
  
But Thranduil wasn't like that right? He wouldn't really do something like that would he? Surely he wouldn't just use me out of his own lust and then just kill me when he was done? Right?  
  
I tried to reassure myself that Thranduil wasn't in fact trying to kill me and that he was just playing around but it seemingly was becoming hard to keep assuring myself when I was on the verge of suffocating.  
  
Then finally he stopped pulling and my back hit something hard. I realised that I was most probably at the bottom of the pool. The insides of my stomach seemed to be churning at the thought of just how deep I was under that water.  
  
Was he going to leave me here now? Alone? To make my way back up? To die?  
  
He began to drag me again, along the wall. I pulled away from his kiss and tried to make sense of what he was doing but I couldn't see nothing, as my hair kept floating in my face.  
  
Then suddenly I felt the subtle coolness of the air as both of our heads broke through the water. I was coughing violently as I tried to breathe in the cool air and tread water at the same time, pushing my wet hair out of my hair, my white robe clinging to my body like a peeling second skin.  
  
"Feel safe enough now?" Came Thranduil's voice that sounded slightly breathless.  
  
I looked up at him in shock, still coughing slightly and breathing heavily.  
  
I looked around me and realised he hadn't been dragging me to the bottom of the pool but to the edge of it.  
  
He wasn't trying to kill me! He was trying to get me to the edge of the pool because he knew I couldn't swim.  
  
I knew the idea of his wanting me dead was absurd. I was always told that I had a wild imagination by my mother but I never actually believed her until now. How could I even think that Thranduil would want to kill me? I should've known better than to think that.  
  
Because I was too caught up in thinking about how foolish I had been for thinking about Thranduil that I had forgotten to use my legs in treading water and my head went under the water.  
  
I felt Thranduil's strong hands come around me as he pulled me back up over the water.  
  
"Valar. I thought you were trying to kill me." I gasped as I held onto his arms, supporting my wait on the wall of the pool, behind me.  
  
His eyebrows raised in a partially amused and partially affronted look.  
  
"Thankyou." I said softly as I slipped my arms around his stomach and hugged him.  
  
I let go and looked up at him and found him staring down at me with eyebrows still raised, with dubious, unimpressed look plastered all over his face.  
  
I rolled my eyes at him pulled his closer to me, giving him kiss, making it as passionate as I could possibly.  
  
Slowly, my hands slipped up his body as he pushed my body against the cool walls of the pool.  
  
He broke away and started to trail kisses down my neck and along my collarbones, pulling apart my still done up robe.  
  
"How can you not know how to swim? You are an elf." He said in between kisses.  
  
"I never learned." I answered him as I helped him easily discard my robe, which floated away on top of the water some distance away from us.  
  
"You could have just told me you could not swim."  
  
"I thought it not relevant enou-"  
  
He covered my mouth with his own kissing me deeply. I could feel his hands all over my body as he spread legs open with his own, enabling him to get closer to me.  
  
Even though most of my upper half of my body was over the water I didn't feel cold. Instead I felt like I was getting hotter and the sweltering water around me seemed to be making me feel hotter.  
  
I held onto the edge of the pool, above my head, with one hand while my other hand tangled in the sopping hair that stuck to his neck, my legs around his waist.  
  
Although I was against the wall with Thranduil holding me as he spilt searing hot kisses over me I was still afraid of drowning, which was why I was holding on to the edge of the pool.  
  
"How come you never learned to swim?" Thranduil asked me, his voice sounding husky and breathless as he continued to kiss me.  
  
"I did not need to. There is only Nimrodel and Celebrant. They.are too cold to swim in..and Anduin is too wide and too swift.you'd easily get swept away." I said breathless. "I was supposed to learn how. Kellin said he'd teach me."  
  
I finally let go of the edge of the pool, wrapping my arms around Thranduil's neck drawing him as close as possible to me as we kissed.  
  
My head tilted back as he released my lips and started to suck and kiss at my neck, one of his arms over mine, pining me down against the wall, the other massaging my thigh.  
  
"Talking about him.he is here in the palace. They found him." Thranduil said huskily.  
  
"Alright." I said whispered as he kissed my lips.  
  
Suddenly my eyes flew open utter shock. Had he just said that Kellin was here? In the palace? That they had found him?? Or was my ears just deceiving me.  
  
I brought my tongue back into my mouth and broke away from him.  
  
"What did you say?" I asked him frowning, as I tried to regain my breath.  
  
"They found whatever his name is...Kellin." He said kissing my neck.  
  
My ears hadn't deceived me. He was here. In the palace. Alive. He was alright.  
  
I stared at the other end of the pool stunned. I didn't have to worry anymore. He was alright. He wasn't lost in the forest, cold, injured, unarmed and hungry. He wasn't hiding or being tracked down by any spiders and he certainly was not being feasted upon by them. He was safe and warm probably in a healing chamber having his wounds attended to.  
  
I blinked and came out of my daze.  
  
"Come on." I said pushing Thranduil off me and reaching for my robe, wrapping it around my body.  
  
I held onto the edge the pool and began to make my way along the side of the pool, holding onto the edge with one hand and pushing water away from with the other. There were a few stairs that I could use to get out of the pool.  
  
"What?" Came Thranduil's voice from behind me.  
  
I ignored him and continued to make my way towards the stairs. My heart was beating with the excitement of knowing that Kellin was alright and also from the fact that I was in the water again, this time without Thranduil to stop me from drowning if I should.  
  
At last I got to the stairs and let go of the wall and began to climb them, my robe sticking to my body, water dripping from my figure and hair.  
  
I looked back and saw Thranduil still in the pool, although near the stairs.  
  
"Come on." I repeated grabbing a white towel and covering myself with it and heading for Thranduil's robe to give it to him.  
  
"Where are you going?" Thranduil asked as I walked towards him with his robe, a frown present on his face.  
  
It was plain that he was annoyed with what I had just done, but it didn't matter to me, Kellin was here. I had to see him.  
  
"Let's go." I said stepping down the stairs again, wetting the rims of towel, which was shrouded around me.  
  
I pulled him out of the water and put his dry robe around him and walked away from him.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked me again, his voice this time more demanding.  
  
"We have to go." I said looking back towards him, making sure that my voice didn't sound too commanding. I didn't want to make him angry with me.  
  
I took his hand and started to walk, with him behind me, towards the door.  
  
"Do you mind telling me perhaps a little more clearer just as to where you are leading me?" he asked me, as I led him out into my bed chamber.  
  
"Here," I said handing him another dry towel, "Get dressed." I said as I walked away from him behind the screen, where I found a new dress laid out on a chair for me.  
  
"Get dressed!" I heard him shout from the other side of the screen.  
  
"Yes sire, get dressed." I said, taking my wet robe off and drying myself before I began to dress myself.  
  
"Why am I going to get dressed?"  
  
"Just do it." I said.  
  
"When I ask you a question I expect that you answer me."  
  
I turned around and found Thranduil standing in the opening of the screen, still in his robe, not looking pleased at all. In fact he looked very annoyed, even angry.  
  
Now fully dressed I walked up to him and put my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.  
  
I broke away from him, hoping that perhaps the kiss would've had taken some effect on him but I could tell by the displeased look on his face that it hadn't.  
  
I kept my arms around his neck and looked into his rich dark eyes. I could never tell what he was going on behind them.  
  
"Can you please get dressed?" I asked him softly as I gently ran my fingers through his silky stresses. "We can go for a walk."  
  
"A walk?" he asked, looking at me dubiously. "Now?"  
  
I nodded, trying to keep an honest face, although I knew he could see straight through me, as if I were water.  
  
"You dragged me out of the pool just so we can go for a walk?" he asked me sceptically.  
  
"Please?" I asked kissing him again, this time better than before.  
  
After some time I finally broke away from him.  
  
He looked at me thoughtfully, the annoyance in his face, looking somewhat faded.  
  
"How about.no." he said before walking away from my sight.  
  
"Please Lord Thranduil." I begged walking out from the screen towards him.  
  
"No." He answered lazily as he slumped down on the settee with a glass of wine in his hand that he had just poured for himself.  
  
"Why not?" I asked.  
  
"Because I know that you are lying to me." He answered simply, taking a sip from his glass.  
  
I stared at him. I hated the fact that he could see straight through me. It was like being with Lady Galadriel. No thoughts in my head where ever kept obscure with either of them.  
  
"Please." I said inaudibly.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Because.because I want to see Kellin." I said quietly.  
  
His eyebrows raised and he stared at me with an unfathomable expression on his face.  
  
"You want me to come with you at this late hour in the night to see some elf who was just brought into my palace doused with mud, screaming that he would be released back into the forest to resume his newly found nomadic existence." He said slowly, as if still trying to register in his mind what I had just said.  
  
"That elf is my friend." I said, slightly irritated by Thranduil's description of Kellin.  
  
"You are joking aren't you." He said.  
  
"No!" I said exasperatedly  
  
I couldn't believe him! He had seen me crying for weeks because I missed Kellin. He knew that I had to see him and yet he was being so incredibly obstinate and stubborn.  
  
"I'll go by myself then." I said walking off behind the screen to combing my hair up quickly.  
  
"You do not even know where he is." Came Thranduil's voice as he appeared behind me in my reflection in the mirror.  
  
"Which is why, sire, I ask that when you have finished, you would let yourself out of my chambers, as I do not think I will return before dawn, for I will be wandering around looking for him." I said as I grabbed a white cloak and threw them over my shoulders. "In other words please do not expect me to come back to you tonight, because I most probably will not."  
  
His eyes narrowed in what was unmistakably a look of annoyance and detest.  
  
"Thankyou for you company sire. I'll see you perhaps next week." I said walking past him towards the door.  
  
I felt his hand come around the bend of my elbow as he pulled me towards him, stopping me from walking any further from him and growling something that sounded distinctly like a 'wait' into my ear.  
  
He then let go of m arm and walked away from behind the screen and away from my view.  
  
I couldn't help but smile as I walked towards the mirror, to fix myself up properly. I couldn't believe that it had actually worked. I thought that he would just ignore me and let me go by myself, leaving me to search for myself, but it seemed that it did matter to the king if he was left alone.  
  
While waiting for him to get changed I fixed my cloak over me properly. The dress I wore was quite thin and as I was already wet I knew I'd probably cold as soon as I stepped away from my fire heated chambers which was why I needed to wear a cloak.  
  
I took a comb and ran it through my hair, before getting two clips and fastening my hair up.  
  
I looked into the mirror and saw in the distance behind me, Thranduil leaning against the wall cross-armed in his misty grey clothes, staring at me with those dark unfathomable eyes.  
  
I quickly picked up my chain, which rested in my jewellery box, and turned around towards Thranduil as I took the ends of the chain behind my neck and fastened them together, walking up to him.  
  
Without a word, Thranduil turned around and walked towards the door, leaving the door open for me.  
  
I walked out of my chambers, closing the door, and found that he hadn't waited for me and was already half way down the hall.  
  
I began to walk quickly after him, trying to catch up without running.  
  
Had I made him angry? Perhaps I should've just waited until the morning. But how could I not? Kellin was here. I had to see him, no matter of what Thranduil thought.  
  
A maid walked past him and he stopped her, telling her something I couldn't hear, as I was too far away. She nodded and turned around, rushing in the direction that she had come from.  
  
As he and the maid were talking I quickened my pace and within a few seconds I was right behind Thranduil.  
  
"Where are we going?" I asked him as I walked beside him.  
  
"I don't know." He answered, his voice austere as he spoke, not looking at me at all.  
  
I frowned. Perhaps I had made him angry. Obviously he was if he didn't even look at me when he spoke.  
  
I continued to walk behind him in silence. He didn't talk to me at all. He didn't even turn to look at me, or to see if I was still following him.  
  
"Your majesty." Called a voice from behind us.  
  
Both Thranduil and I turned around to find Galdorilin walking towards us, running his fingers through his messed up hair. It was obvious that we had woken him up.  
  
"Your majesty." He repeated as he walked up to us and bowed quickly at Thranduil. "What is it?" he asked with a slight frown on his face.  
  
"I apologise for having to awaken you at such a late hour but Arielle insists that she sees the elf that was found in the forest right now. I have no knowledge as to where he is being kept but I understand that you would." Thranduil said.  
  
Galdorilin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again. "I thought it was something of greater importance, concerning your safety." He said roughly.  
  
I frowned. This was of great importance! It was Kellin! Of course it was of great importance.  
  
"Very well, follow me." He said walking in front of us, in the direction that we were heading for.  
  
After another few seconds of walking another two elves, who I didn't know came out of one of the halls and we stopped as they began to speak with Thranduil and Galdorilin.  
  
I was beginning to get wrestles. How hard was it for them to just show me to wherever Kellin was? It couldn't possibly be this hard. I didn't need five men escorting me there.  
  
Again we started walking, Galdorilin talking to the other men.  
  
I looked at Thranduil, who was walking beside me. He still was not talking to me.  
  
Perhaps it was me who should say something first instead of thinking of him being angry with me.  
  
"Thankyou." I said to hi quietly, so the others wouldn't hear, as I took his hand in mine and kissed his cheek.  
  
He looked back at me with a soft look in his dark starlit eyes and kissed the back of my hand and we continued to walk hand in hand, in silence, but not the same uncomfortable one like before.  
  
At least I knew now that he wasn't in fact mad with me, well at least not anymore. A silent sigh of relief escaped from me.  
  
Within a few minutes we were out of the palace, how we got there I don't know how, but we were at another door, that seemed to lead inside the palace again.  
  
I was confused, but everyone else knew what was happening.  
  
It was cold and dark outside, as it was in middle of the night, and not a sound could be hear amongst the trees.  
  
There was a fire lit torch in a carrier, next to the door that we waited at, which Alcolyte took out for out use while one of the other elves that I did not know opened the large wooden door.  
  
"Sire if you'd rather you can return to your office and we'll have him brought up to you. I daresay that you would-" Started the elf.  
  
"No, I'm fine." Thranduil cut in.  
  
He nodded and held the door open and Thranduil stepped in first, with me after him.  
  
Inside everything was pitch black and it wasn't until Alcolyte came in with the torch that I was able to see.  
  
I soon realised that we were going down to the dungeons, where I had been before.  
  
A sudden fluttering of wings began in my stomach. It wouldn't be too long until I saw Kellin.  
  
With Alcolyte holding the torch, he and Galdorilin went in front of me and Thranduil and led the way through the passage, the other elves following behind us.  
  
We reached another door, which Galdorilin opened, and inside there was a clearly lit cellar.  
  
There were a few elves who was sitting down at a wooden table. One of them sat with a book and was reading, the other three were drinking something in their flagons, and talking happily with one another.  
  
The one who sat facing the door looked up at us as we all walked through the door and stood up, putting his cup down.  
  
" *Maeraduial hir nin.*" He said bowing down to Thranduil. " *A maeraduial hiril nin.*" he said to me bowing down as well. "How might I serve you your majesty?" he asked.  
  
"A man was brought here by the border guards last evening. An elf. I wish to see him." Thranduil said.  
  
The elf nodded and looked over at the other elves who were still sitting at the table and asked him whether they knew whom Thranduil was speaking of.  
  
The man who sat by himself reading a book stood up and walked towards us. "Follow me." He said walking down one of the passages.  
  
"Was he seeming of Sindar kindred?" the elf asked Alcolyte, who nodded in reply.  
  
I was beginning to feel nervous now, why I did not know.  
  
"Yes he was injured when he was-" the elf started but stopped when a loud scream filled the air.  
  
I frowned looking around. The voice. It sounded incredibly like Kellin, or was I hallucinating?  
  
The shouting continued, and the more the person continued to shout the more I thought it was Kellin. He was shouting over and over the same thing but what he said was undiscernible.  
  
"We tended his wounds but he has been shouting ever since he arrived." The elf finished as we continued to walk down the passage.  
  
"That's Kellin?" I asked, shocked that it was him who was screaming.  
  
The elf nodded.  
  
"Why? What are you doing to him?" I asked, beginning to get worried.  
  
"We have done nothing to him. He just keeps on screaming out of his own will. He is certainly in no pain, we make sure that everyone in here are in good health.  
  
"How bad were his wounds?" I asked.  
  
"Not that bad. It is obvious though that he did have an encounter with one of the spiders. I think it happened just before the border elves found him. There was only a little bit of venom on his skin, but if we had not cleaned him up he would have died." The elf said looking at me.  
  
Again there was shouting, the time it seemed louder. We were probably getting closer to him. I could also hear the clinging noise of metal.  
  
"Must he scream so stridently?" Thranduil said, the fact that he was becoming agitated apparent in his voice.  
  
"He has been quite a disturbance, keeping up everyone else. We have tried everything to shut him up but they all did not work." The elf said.  
  
Why was Kellin screaming so much? There must have been something wrong. He wouldn't shout so much just for the sake of it. They were probably doing something to him.  
  
We got to a heavy wooden door which the elf began to unlock.  
  
Behind the door there was a lot of banging and shouting. Kellin was behind them. I could hear what he was saying now loud and clear.  
  
"Let me go."  
  
Those were the words that he screamed repeatedly, over and over again.  
  
The elf opened the door, leaving it ajar.  
  
I took a step towards it but Thranduil's hand came around my arm stopping me.  
  
"Let me go first." He said softly before letting go of my arm and walking into the room with the Galdorilin and the prison guard, who left the door ajar and I could not see inside.  
  
Kellin's screaming stopped, and I could hear the hushed murmuring voice of Thranduil.  
  
He always spoke so calmly and softly. There was such a great deal of potency though in his voice, even when he spoke quietly, that he didn't need to speak any loudly.  
  
Then I heard Kellin's voice, louder than Thranduil's and seeming more urgent. "Release me. I have no business here." He said.  
  
I wanted so much to go and see him but Alcolyte who was next to me kept giving me looks.  
  
Everything was quiet for a second and then all of a sudden.  
  
"ARIELLE!! ARIELLE!!"  
  
Just like in my dream he was screaming as if he were in pain.  
  
I could feel tears beginning to form in my eyes and my heart seemed to be thumping violently against my chest.  
  
The prison guard came and opened the door, nodding at me to come inside.  
  
Cautiously, as if there may be a giant spider inside, I walked towards the entrance towards the door, a little scared of what I might find inside.  
  
I walked over the threshold and the first thing I saw was Kellin on the floor, fetters by his sides, that had once been around his wrists and ankles, obvious by the red marks on his skin. His blonde hair was all dirty and tattered, stained with mud and blood. His once glimmering silver garments were now dirty and ragged caked in dried mud and blood, torn and frayed at the edges. His skin was covered with mud and the only way I could describe him was as a wary hunted animal.  
  
I stood there speechless just staring at him. I had never seen him like this, not ever before in my life, seeming trapped and helpless. He was always the strong one, the one who was always on top of matters, no matter how bad they were.  
  
He lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes so powerless and vulnerable.  
  
As if tap were automatically turned on inside of me tears began to run down my cheeks.  
  
I rushed towards him, throwing my arms around him as I collapsed on the dungeon floor next him into a crying heap.  
  
"Oh Valar, Kellin you don't know how much I've been worried about you." I cried as I brushed the hair out of his face, kissing his forehead and hugging him.  
  
"Where have you been!" He said loudly, sounding as if he too was about to cry as he put his arms around me and hugging me tightly. "I have been looking everywhere for you."  
  
"Where did you go Kellin? I was waiting for weeks and you never came back. You never came back for me! You never came back for me!" I said looking at him as he ran his fingers through my hair.  
  
"I told you to wait for me. I told you not to leave that place. Do you have any idea how much you scared me! You could've been in so much trouble! You could have died!" he shouted hogging me tighter.  
  
"I did wait but you never came. What was I supposed to do?" I sobbed.  
  
"You were supposed to wait!" he said furiously kissing my forehead and hugging me again. "Thank Valar I found you. Your father would have comeback to Middle Earth from Mandos to kill me himself, had anything happened to you.that is if your mother and the rest of the Galadhrim hadn't got to me first." He said soft into my ear as he continued to hug me.  
  
I couldn't help but smile as more tears ran down my cheeks. He could always make the worst situations seem better. Always.  
  
Someone from behind me cleared their throat, evidently demanding attention.  
  
Letting go of Kellin I turned around to find Thranduil and the others looking bored.  
  
"Perhaps you and the lady can catch up with each other in the morning. There is a chamber that has been prepared for you." Thranduil said looking at Kellin.  
  
I looked at Kellin and smiled, standing up. I was so happy that he was here finally. It felt like an enormous weight had just been lifted off my shoulders.  
  
I watched him as he stood up. He smiled at me but his smile suddenly vanished, becoming a wince of pain as he stood up straight, clutching at his chest.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked him with a frown as I carefully pulled his arm away from his chest.  
  
"Nothing." He said, pain clearly written in his voice.  
  
Through the torn material of his garments I could clearly see a scar across his chest which looked like it might come open again.  
  
"You call this nothing?" I said softly looking up at Kellin.  
  
"I thought you said you had his wounds mended." I said turning around and looking at the prison guard  
  
"We did." The guard said.  
  
"Right before you threw me into the dungeon, to let it reopen, when I had done nothing wrong." I hear Kellin mutter from behind me.  
  
I turned around and gave him a look.  
  
Kellin had a little problem. He always had to say what was on his mind, no matter if it was uncouth or disrespectful. I always told him off but he never listened to me. If Lord Celeborn hadn't known Kellin and his family for such a long time and of he weren't so nice he would've probably have discharged Kellin as his herald, but I knew that Thranduil wasn't that lenient.  
  
"What! It's true!" he said looking at me.  
  
"Kellin that's enou-" I started before I was interrupted by Thranduil.  
  
"What was that Lord Kellin.if that is what you are" He said tensing the word 'lord' as he looked Kellin's disheveled figure up and down, a malicious glint in his eye. "Have you a problem with the way you have been handled by my elves?"  
  
Oh no. Why was Thranduil doing this? He was only encouraging Kellin to say something, that would obviously get him into trouble.  
  
I looked at Kellin, who was staring venomously at Thranduil.  
  
"Kellin I berg you do not-" I started through gritted teeth before I was again interrupted.  
  
"As a matter of fact your majesty I do have a problem." Kellin said, venom dripping of every syllable.  
  
"Really? Care to explain?" Thranduil said in that silky, liquidly yet maliciously mocking voice of his.  
  
A small snigger came from Galdorilin who was watching Kellin with a grin over his lips.  
  
"When it is obvious that I am an elf, you would think that a neighboring kingdom would treat me with a little more courtesy, than what I have been treated." He said ignoring my whisperings for him to shut his mouth.  
  
"Indeed. And you would think that an elf who was lost in the forest and attacked by a spider before salvaged by the border guards of a neighboring kingdom and not left to rot and die would show a little more gratitude and respect." Thranduil interjected his voice incredibly hushed and icy.  
  
A dark look crossed Kellin's face.  
  
He opened his mouth to retaliate but I got in before him.  
  
"It's getting late. Perhaps we should all return to our chambers." I said faking a yawn, in the most delicate lady like way I could.  
  
"Yes I agree with you Lady Arielle." Alcolyte said. "Wouldn't you agree sire?"  
  
"Yes." Thranduil, who was staring at Kellin, said slowly.  
  
I walked over to Kellin and hugged him. "I will see you tomorrow. And please Kellin do not say anything unwanted here. Please. Thranduil isn't as tolerant as Lord Celeborn and he won't hesitate to have you thrown in here again." I said softly into his ear before letting go of him.  
  
"Alcolyte escort the man to his chambers." Thranduil ordered, not taking his eyes of Kellin as I walked over to him.  
  
He looked at me and offered his hand to me, which I took.  
  
The prison guard opened the door for us and I looked back at Kellin and smiled.  
  
"And for Valar's sake Alcolyte, give the man a bath. It's no wonder the border guards threw him in here. He looks like an animal, not an elf." I heard Thranduil say as we walked out of the dungeon.  
  
The doors closed behind us with a low loud thud, and Kellin as gone from my sight.  
  
The walk back to my chambers went quickly. I wasn't even thinking about where I was going. I just followed Thranduil. My thoughts were on Kellin.  
  
My mind was still spinning from the thought that I didn't have to worry about him anymore and that he was safe here in the palace.  
  
Staggering into my chambers with Thranduil who had already half way undressed me, and who I hadn't spoken to since our time at the dungeons, my thoughts were still on Kellin.  
  
I wanted to know where he had been and why he hadn't come for me. I wanted to everything that had happened to him.  
  
More questions that I wanted to ask Kellin filled my mind, and I tried hard to remember each one as there were so many and for once it wasn't Thranduil who occupied my mind as I lay on my disarrayed bed, feeling tired, hot and sweaty in the kings arms. It was Kellin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Translations  
  
Trenrenni naegrale calen-heneb gwilwileth nin~ Tell me what saddens you my green eyed butterfly.  
  
Im ú naegrana pen~ I am not saddened by anything.  
  
Maeraduial hir nin.~ Good evening my lords  
  
A maeraduial hiril nin.~ And good evening my lady. 


	5. Author's Note

Hey guys!!  
  
I am sorry but from now on I won't be putting anymore chapters up on this story. I've been talking with my co-author and we've decided that all of the story will be completed under her pen-name, for some personal and private reasons.  
  
To find the story just go to:  
  
www. fanfiction.net/ profile.php? userid=185034  
  
And go under her stories and click our one.  
  
Or click 'find' and then type in the title of this story and it should come up as the 24th story. If you have your own accounts the story's id number is: 983720  
  
I apologize for any inconvenience in us doing so, but please continue reading this story and if you do I **BEG** you to review it under my co- author's name.  
  
Reviews are everything and the key to getting your story faster. More reviews gives the authors more motivation to keep writing, hence more chapters for you to read.  
  
So please if you do continue reading please review and thankyou for all those who have read this story under my name and have reviewed. Your time and consideration is appreciated a lot. 


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